What Our Hearts Hide
by Painted Pony
Summary: Chapter 9 is up. This is an OC story, a kinda behind the scences story from anouther point of view by a character that just happens to be from anouther world creating her own story in the process. Characters: Faith OC, Tadashi OC, Sasuke, more later.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters in any way, shape or form.

This is my first try at writing.. so in other words I have no idea what I'm doing!

Most of this story will center around my own orginal character who will meet up with the cast of Naruto...eventually.

Find Yourself+

Chapter One: Spirited Away?

Faith had lived alone for the past 5 years and she was a hard working girl that seldom did anything exciting, it wasnt that she didnt want to go out and have a kick ass time but that she just didnt have the time for it with all the hours her job required of her at the local family clinic where she worked as a nurse. She liked her job very much and it paid nicely as well, but it was still lacking something and she didnt know what it was. Everyday at the clinic was the same, day in and day out the same thing. She liked helping people, but she needed a challenge every now and then to keep her from going crazy so when her best friend Mark called her up for a round of paint ball on her next day off she immediately agreed, she was all for it. It had been awhile since they had last played and Mark had recruited some of his wild and crazy friends to join in on the fun.

Bright and early Saturday morning Faith woke up ready to shoot someone.

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Paintball-a-rama+

Faith pulled her car into the paintball parking lot and smiled wickedly at the large 20 acre forest that was to be the 'battle field'.' Time to relieve some boredom.', she thought to herself as she was getting out of her car.

"Hey Faith," shouted Mark from across the parking the lot, " glad you could makeit, it's been a long time since we played this. Everyone else is here so I'll introduce you to the players. Of course you already know Kyle, Luke, Brian and Chris" he siad pointing to the familiar faces and standing next to Kyle were two other guys, big muscle looking guys, "and those two are Brent and Ethan, they go to the same college as Kyle."

"You didnt bring your girlfriend along with you this time?", Faith asked Kyle teasingly. His girlfriend he brought with him last year when they played was in no way ready for the way they played the game, nor was she all for lurking in the forest and getting dirty. She complained often and loudly too, she was the first one to be shot by a paintball.

He frowned, "She said we took this game to seriously and didnt want to come within a hundred miles of this place."

"Hopefully you brought some better players with you this time Kyle, cause last time you and your team got your asses handed to you. Do you think they can handle this?" She looked the other two guys up and down questioningly which in turn made the two guys scoff at her wondering if she lost her mind.

The tall blonde guy named Brent just laughed, "You got some spunk little girl, but the real question is can you handle this? I wont go easy on you just cause you are a girl and I would hate to stop the game when you get hurt."

It was Faith's turn to laugh. " You will see soon enough. Have teams been assigend yet?"

"Not yet, we were waiting on you." said her best friend. "Though we decided I would be team leader one and Luke would be team leader two since he paid for everyone. We are going to flip a coin to see who picks first. Heads or tails Luke?"

"Heads" called Luke as Mark flipped his coin. It landed on tails.

"Yes!", hollered Mark.

"Shit!", said Luke, "There goes my team winning."

"Damn Luke, just cause you dont get to pick first don't mean you are going to lose." Brent had no idea that the coin toss already determined who would win, but Luke knew good and well having already done this a few times with his brother and his two friends, Mark and Faith. The team that had Faith always won and the winner of the coin toss always choose Faith first. It was beyond him how she did it, but all the times he played with her she never once came out with so much as a paint splatter on her. It was only a matter of how long Luke's team could last now.

Luke choose the player with sharpest eye, "Fine, I will take Chris as my first pick. He is the best chance mt team has of winning."

"Wait a minute, I thought Mark won the coin toss and was going to pick first?", asked Ethan.

Luke just laughed, " I forgot this is the first time you are playing with us, but it goes with out saying that when Faith is playing who ever wins the coin toss chooses Faith. Whatever team she is on wins... the other gets slaughtered. "

Brent had a hard time believing that. "Why is that, did you have military training or something?" he asked Faith looking at her, she didnt look the type of person that would be out playing a round of paintball with a couple of 20 year old something guys, she looked much to delicate for that with her long brown hair, dark blue eyes and her small physique.

Faith looked at Brent with a sly grin."Nope, I run though the forest completely naked while my team mates sneak up behind you and shoot you while your guard is down."

"Well if thats the case I wouldnt mind losing." He was grining ear to ear staring off into space as he imagined her running through the woods totally and completly... SLAP

She jokingly slapped him across his shoulders, "You are worse than Chris. Just wait and play the game to find out what happens."

Mark and Luke finished choosing thier teams. Mark's team, Team Red, would be Faith, Ethan and Kyle while Luke's Team, Team Blue, would be Chris, Brent and Brian. The game was Annihilation, object was to shoot all the members of the other team and basically annihlate them as the name of the game suggests. Rules are: no shooting within close range, a critical shot is any where other than arms and legs, if you are shot in the legs you are immobile, if shot in the arm you may not use your arm, once you are critically shot you may not speak to any other players, inlcuding your own team, about of the where abouts of other players, when you are in close range of opposite team members the paint knife will be used and the first one marked is dead. Now the close range combat was something new Faith and Mark came up with on thier own several years ago, shooting someone at very close range was against the rules at the game park and it also hurt, but to determine the winner in thier fantasy mock battles they decided knives would work. Faith and Mark created foam knives that absorbed paint and easily came off when it came in contact with something or someone. Last but not the least, the first player shot bought dinner for everyone, if someone lost a close combat battle they had to pay $50 to the winner of the battle, it was an incentive to keep everyone on high alert and a little bonus to the game..well for the winners anyway.

After everyone geared up, locked and loaded the teams headed to opposite sides of the park to the starting points and once there they could begin.

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Action+

Team Read: Mark, Faith, Ethan, Kyle

Team Blue: Luke, Chris, Brent, Brian

Goal: Annihlate the other team.

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They arrived at the starting point for thier team with hearts pounding and trigger happy fingers ready to go off at the slightest sound, but it would be sometime before they actually made contact with a member of the oppostie team. First objective: locate enemy.

Team Red fanned out but stayed close enough to each other so they could see hand signals, talking openly was not allowed as it would give away thier postion if the enemy was near. Mark appointed Faith as the scout, she was small and light on her feet and less likely to be seen plus she had some other advantages the others did not have. When she was a ways off, almost out of sight she would signal for the others and they continued like this until they found the location of the other team. She was a very good scout for several reasons, and Mark knew this.

What seemed like hours searching into the woods they came across a small log pile, one of the many spots found throughout the woods for players to take refuge from incoming paintballs or to use for ambushing. It was a distance away, and they couldnt tell if anyone was on the other side or not. They would have to get closer or avoid the whole thing and walk around it the long way.

Mark looked at Faith and she nodded once telling him she knew someone was hiding close by, but she held her hand up indicating for them to wait. Mark nodded to her and signaled the other two to take defense postions behind trees, he would have to wait on Faith to do her thing before they could progress.

Faith stood behind the tree and concentrated on the surroundings, she already picked up on someone close by but she didnt know yet where.. 'Wait.' she thought.. 'There are two.' She felt for thier presence a little longer and it took her minute to figure out the other person was in a tree. She went to make her report to Mark, making sure to keep herself out of the line of fire.

"Well?" Mark whispered, "what did you find out?"

"Two guys up ahead. Niether one behind the log pile, one is within sight from log pile and the other behind him in a tree some where, niether one of them had a clear shot from that side, which is why they didn't shot at us, they didnt want to give away thier positions without a clear shot. I think the one on the ground was trying for the log pile but we got here before he could and hid. Whats your orders team captain?" This was what Faith was waiting for, the time to stalk and kill.

"I'll take Ethan with me and take advantage of the log pile, Kyle will stay behind has look out and you go around the long way and try to locate the guy in the tree, he has limited mobility but he can see everything if we get any closer and you are the only one that can get him. Hopefully he will be watching us when we go for the log pile while you sneak back and around. We will wait until you take care of the sniper in the tree before engaging with the target on the ground."

"Alright then, I'm off." she said with a most malicous grin.

Mark signaled from behind his tree to Kyle that he and Ethan were going to advance to the log pile but for him to stay back as look out and Faith was going to circle around. Things were about to get interesting.

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Chris sat high above in a tree with a smug smirk on his face, he was very pleased with himself for having climbed the tree and even more so now that he saw Team Red coming closer and closer but the trees were blocking his path of a clear shot. He only had to wait until one clear shot and shot them off one by one from his throne in the trees, by the time they relized he was in the tree it would be too late. He laughed in his head eyes gleaming, adrenaline rushing and heart beating fast. He took his gun and aimed waiting for one clear shot, waiting for one small opening, wait ... POP SPLAT

"SON OF A BI." Chris was startled out of his heavy concentration when something hard exploded against his side, red paint. I do believe he nearly fell over from shock, he was so damn sure no one would be able to see him up in the tree. He looked around and didnt see anyone but if he could have seen though bushes he would have seen Faith with a wicked smile plastered across her face.

'That sucked, I didnt even get in one shot.' Something in his mind told him it was all Faith's doing.

Game was over for Chris.

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'Hehehehe' Faith was silently laughing in her mind. 'That was too easy, he didnt even notice me coming up behind him. Though I have to give him some award, he chose one hell of a spot to hid in. I wouldn't have been able to see him at all if I hadnt of sensed he was there. Now for the other one.'

She crept forward keeping low behind the small bushes. The other guy she was now stalking knew someone was out to get him after he heard the pop and not to mention Chris' loud profane tell tale sign to the world he was out of the game, he was on high alert. Her team mates also heard Chris' loud exclamation and were now trying to flush out the second target with paint balls which were hitting much to close for his comfort. He was out numbered, and Faith was just about to deliever a fatal shot from behind when a red paint ball hit his face mask, a sure sign of a fatal blow. "Aww shit." she heard him mumble. She wasn't about to give away her position but it was very hard for her not to laugh. Brian was out of the game.

Two down, two to go.

She signaled to the others behind the wood pile that it was clear with a wave of her hand behind the tree. She watched and she waited, but no signal ever came back.

'What the hell are they doing over there. If I have to go get them they are going to be in so much trouble.' It was unusual for Mark to not pay attention, he took these mock battles seriously, he was a war freak after all but certain health conditions kept him from active duty so this was as close as he would ever get to combat.

Faith made her way closer to log pile where she knew three people were waiting for her, but why the hell were they not paying attention?

'There must be someone from the Blue Team that I missed earlier close by and thats why they didnt signal to me.' Faith was looking all around, her senses telling her something wierd was going on but her they kept telling her only 3 people were here. She would just have to get to wood pile herself and ask them what was up.

She peaked through the wood and saw Marks clothes. "Hey," she whispered fierecly,"why didnt you signal back."

Then the aura came, a sort of premonition in her head that was like an alarm bell for her when in a dangerouse situation or unexpected things were about to occur... like now. Seconds before the attacker made his move the image filled her head and she saw it happen in a flash, someone jumping out from the other side of the log pile with a knife in hand slashing out towards her, and it was not any one of her team mates.

She drew her knife in a split second with a sudden rush of adrenaline hitting her and she was ready for the attacker. Brent came fast from around the other side with his knife in hand only to find himself stabbed in the gut where Faith was waiting expantantly for him to come blindly running from around the corner. He froze when he felt it hit him and just stood there, looking at the red paint on his shirt with his eyes wide.

"You owe me $50 dollars." she whispered into Brents ears as she walked by him still stunned. Game over for Brent.

"So.. this is what happens when I leave you guys by yourself, huh?" She asked the dead men sitting side by side on the other side of the log pile. Both Mark and Ethan looked up at her with sheepish smiles, covered in blue paint. "You got slaughtered. Guess me and Kyle are the only ones left to track down his brother." The hunt wasn't over yet. She got up and looked around, and headed in the direction that they had come from and stopped at the tree she last saw Kyle at. It had a red paint mark it. So, it looked like the enemy had snuck up behind them and cought them by surprise while they were shooting at Brian, killed them and waited for her to return. Very clever she thought.

Three down, one to go she thought. She walked out into the woods alone to find her lost team mate.

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"You still think the team she is on is going to win?", Brent asked the two covered in blue paint. "She still has to kill two and doesnt even know it yet."

Mark looked up at him, "Well, this hasnt ever happened before, but I have my reasons for believing in her. You wanna make a bet?" This was going to be easy money in Mark's pocket.

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It wasnt too long until she finally caught up to Kyle who apparently had escaped the massacre at the wood pile unharmed. He was hiding behind a rather large tree stump, and signaled that the target was at 2 o' clock. Her heart was still pounding fast, blood rushing through her viens and senses on high alert, one could get addicted to this feeling.

She scanned the foliage and couldnt see the last remaing target with her eyes, but when she concentrated hard enough she was just barely able to make out where he was. He was right where Kyle said he was, but it wasnt a clear shot for either one of them since he was well covered from fire in the thick brambles. One of them would have to get closer, and Kyle was at a disadvantage with no cover nearby so it looked like it was up to Faith. She signaled to Kyle that she was going to try to go forward and to cover her. She was going to try and go around the back like she did with Chris in the tree.

She scanned for the best way to get behind him without being seen when she gasped as anouther aura hit her with images, ' That bastard.'

She ducked quickly behind the tree right as Kyle was getting up to take aim at Faith's back, it missed and hit the ground. Faith knowing where he was going to be standing before he did shot him right in the stomach, then she turned quickly to her left to shoot the figure that was moving fast out of the low shrubs to get a clear shot at her during the brief but distracting duel with Kyle and shot Luke in the chest right as he was taking aim.

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Paintball-a-rama parking lot+

"That was the best fucking game EVER! I still cant believe you betrayed us Kyle, but that was awesome." Mark was going non stop about the apparent betrayl of Team Red by Kyle. "Which ever one of you thought that up was pure genius! And then having Brent take your place was even more genius!"

Kyle just laughed, "That was pretty fun. You should have seen the look on your faces when I shot you both, it was priceless! Though I have to say the genius would have to be Faith. I didnt think she relized I betrayed you guys so when she had her back to me looking for my brother I thought I would finally be the one to shot her, though she proved me wrong. She turned around so fast and pulled the trigger without any hesitation. That was awesome, like it was out of the movies or something, then she turned around and shot Luke."

"You aint kidding me, you got some serious reflexes or something." said Brent agreeing with Kyle.

"Well Kyle," Faith tried to explain, "that red paint on the tree kinda tipped me off, it was odd to see it there at the tree you were last seen at. It didnt take a genius to figure it out."

"Shit. If you hadn't shot at me Mark I prolly would have gotten her."

"I doubt that Kyle. You just got to face it, you lost. Man o man am I starving after all that. Where are treating us Chris, you were the first casulity." Mark looked at Chris with a wide grin on his face.

"Aww crap. McDonalds?" It was the cheapest place Chris could think of.

"Ewww, if you say that agian I think you are going to be shot for real, by seven different people. " Brain did not like that place.

"And Brent, you owe me $50."

"Aww crap."

"You owe me $50 too Brent from our bet. Faith came out top dog."

"Double crap."

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After Dinner, which was not at McDonalds+

Everyone else but Mark and Faith had gone thier seperate ways, it was the two of them alone in the parking lot of the BBQ joint.

He had his arm around her shoulders walking to their cars still replaying the days events in his head. "That was the best round of paintball anyone could ask for. I dont think we are ever gonna top that."

"You're telling me! You have no idea how shocked I was to see Kyle shooting me, his team mate! Thankfully though I listened to what my vision showed me and I was able to recover from the shock, get out of the way and shoot him before he could me and then shoot his brother. Man, my heart was pounding and I loved every second of it. You are right though, I dont think we will ever top that game. Everyone was at thier best. Of course its always fun when the team you are on wins."

"Well," he said laughing, "I dont think it hurt that you are physcic either! Of course they didnt know that!! insane laughter inserted here You ought to be a bloody spy or something with those powers you have! When are you going to predict the lotto for me?"

"Pfft. If I could do that I would have done it already. I can only see things right before they happen and sometimes when I concentrate hard enough I can locate people or where they have been, but thats only if they had been there recently. Hmm, a spy you say? Sounds interesting, but it would most likely take forever to actually get there and be able to do actual field work, too much paper work." Faith really did consider a career in an active field like a once upon a time, but choose differently to be close to home and to someone she loved. It was as if her gift had and sense of adventure beckoned for her to pursue something crazy, something different, something normal people could not do. The limit of Faith's abiltiy was sensing immediate danger and some times it was visiual images, she had never been able to predict things more than a few seconds into the future and she never really thought of it has a pyshcic ability, but more of a sixth sense in tune with her surroundings.

"Since you cant tell me the lotto you wanna come over and watch the anime I just got in the mail? Its all your favorite! Naruto the 3rd movie and Fullmetal." He was looking at her pleading puppy dog eyes, she was the one person he could watch these movies with without being given a wierd look. The others just didnt get it.

True, those two were her favorite anime. She loved watching animated films, had a passion for drawing and like watching the different animation styles from hand drawn to computer. It had been a long while since she had seen any animated films so it was very tempting to take his invitation.

"I think I will have to pass Mark. It's getting late and I have alot of things to do before work." She sighed, she really did regret not going. Maybe it was because she didnt really want to go home to an empty house, but there were so many things to do. She kissed him on the check and said goodbye.

Just as she was about to get in her car he asked, " Are you alright?"

She knew what he was asking about, today was the 5 year anniversary. It was the whole reason why Mark had set up this whole thing today to get her mind off it and to a point it worked.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Thanks." She smiled at him. He really was a great friend, always there when she needed him.

"Call me if you ever need anything."

"Will do Mark. Really, thanks for everything. I had a great time" She started the engine and drove away as light rain drops came down.

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On The Highway

"Aww monkey nuts!! Why does it have to be a down pour on the way home, in the dark no less." Her wipers were going as fast as they could across the windshield and it was pratically useless. It was a flood falling down from the sky and straight onto the car. 'Now I really wish I would have taken Mark up on his offer to watch those movies.'

Has Faith drove through the rain cursing it, a driver in a semi-truck on the opposite side of the highway was also cursing, but for a whole different reason... he had lost control and the big rig was now hydro planing across the road and into incoming traffic. He desperatly tried to regain control of the truck and stop it, but it was futile on slick wet road.

For the thrid time that day Faith's sixth sense told her something was about to happen, but this time it wasnt with the thrill or excitment she felt earlier when playing with the guys. It was a deep gut renching feeling. She had just seen her own death.

Faith gripped the wheel tightly and tried to swerve the car out of the path of the oncoming semi, but the rain would not let her. The rain had taken control of the car, it was out of her hands now to control her fate. She closed her eyes and held her breath and all she could think was, 'I'm not ready. I still have promises to keep. Please.'

Faith died on impact.

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End Chapter - Author Notes.

When does this turn into a Naruto fanfiction you say? Next chapter of course! Who will she meet? Its a surprise!! No really, its a surprise.. I dont even know yet. Just kidding you... second chapter is one fourth of the way done.


	2. Chapter 2

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Chapter 2

Soul Retrieval Technique+

It is strange being aware that you are dead. Your body is not there but your spirit is and Faiths spirit was not ready to let go of the phsycial world just yet. She frantically searched for something to pull her back into her body, searched for something to grip onto in the vast emptyness that would let her go back.

She pleaded into the darkness, 'Just let me go back.' Then in the darkness, as if someone had heard her, a swirling wind of ribbons grabbed and pulled her out of the emptyness and back again into the world... though it was not the one she left behind.

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In a dark and dreary room lit with candles, one man with an incrediable amount of medical knowledge of a special kind, hovered over his newest experiment subject and he was quit pleased with his work. The test subject was breathing, something his countless other subjects failed to do each time he tried. It was the best results he had recieved, now he could only wait and see if the body would wake with its soul retrieved. If the subject was defect, ei no brain activity, then it would be discarded and the whole process would continue until it was right. The soul retrievel technique was nearing its completion, the person on the table need to only wake and it would be perfect.

The Dead Soul Technique was really an imperfect technique, the real goal was Soul Retreival Technique. Though as useful as the body revival technique was it could only be used on the dead for a limited time. His goal was to perfect the technique, to allow the soul back into the body and revive the person permenatly, not just a dead puppet.

With this power at thier hands they could bring back to life whom ever they wished and when you can bring back the dead there is no longer a fear of death. The ninja's at the hand of his master could be revived and used again, and ninjas that did not fear death are the most dangerous kind of all.

As the medic specialist was checking vitals of the newly revived person his master entered the room, he didnt have to ask why his master had come.

He pushed back his glasses with a smile. "The experiment so far has been successful. She is breathing again, but we will have to wait and see if there will be any negative effects on her brain and body if she wakes. If this succeeds, you will be able to use your shinobi that die again and again. They will be invincable. You will be invincable, Orchimaru-sama."

The golden eyes of the pale man glanced over the breathing body, a smile on his face. He was one step closer to being immortal, for when he recieved his new container he planned on keeping it alive and forever."Yes.", he agreed with his right handman, he would be invincable. His plans were falling into place one by one. "Inform me when its a complete success." He left and made his way down the dark corridor in search of his newest toy.

The medic nin returend to moniter his pateints vitals very closely, having just revived the body and implanted the soul was a very critical time. He took her wrist and checked her pulse with his chart in. He smiled when the woman on the table responded to his touch, he really didnt think it would be this short of a wait for her to wake.

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Waking+

'O shit my head hurts', was Faith's first thought when she woke. 'I think I am going to hurl.' was the second thought.

She opened her eyes only to find the room spinning in every direction and closed them immediately, if she had eaten anything recently she would have thrown up then. She tried to rub her head to relieve the pain but felt her arms to heavy to move, she felt as if she was immobile. She quickly thought back has much has her pounding head would allow and try to remember what happened. She remembered playing paint ball, eating BBQ, and driving home... in the rain... heavy rain... then she remembered. The truck. 'O yeah, the truck. Damn truck. Damn rain. What happened and where am I?.' She cursed in her head loudly with every pounding ache in her head, it felt as if that truck had driven over her head itself.. all 18 wheels and then reveresd to do it all over again.

She heard voices not to far off, 'I must be in a hospital.' but she was so wracked with pain she didnt comprehend a thing that was said, she just wanted her head to stop hurting. She was on the verge of tears with the pain when she felt warm fingers wrap around her wrist and she looked at the man she assumed was a doctor. He wore glasses, had white hair and something around his head. It was difficult to make out the details with the room spinning and her eyes unable to focus. She shut her eyes again making a mental note not to open her eyes again, she just might puke next time.

"This is good, you are awake already. How do you feel?", he asks his patient.

"ugh.." was Faiths only reply and her body begin trembling. The pain was so intense she barely registered his question, she couldnt even get a word out through her clenched teeth. 'Just give some pain killers you idiot'. she thought has she fought back the feeling that her head was about to be split open for the world to see.

When she didn't reply the _doctor_ opend her eyes, checked her pupils and her pulse again which was increasing with each intense throb in her head. He frowned and placed a hand upon her head trying to pinpoint the cause of disress to his young patient. "Hmm. It seems like your brain was not ready for you to wake up just yet, being brought back from the dead must be very exhausting for the body and soul. This should help ease your pain you are feeling." He spread his palm and fingers across her temple and the pain immediately began to ease to dull throbs.

She was finally able to relax, breath, move and think just a little bit clearer now.. and to understand what he has just said. "Brought back from the dead.?" she said to herself but outloud.

He overheard her question, "Yes, you were dead by the time you were brought to me. One of the other shinobi from your team brought you back from the mission barely alive, but you had died by the time I arrived and..."

"uh.. mission.. shinobi?" she repeated under her breath confused, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Do you not remember the mission? It was quite successfull thanks to your efforts."

"Mission?" she questioned him. With the pain half of what it was earlier she chanced opening her eyes one more time too see the face she was talking too and found herself looking at a rather young ... _doctor_? 'ok,' she thought to herself, ' this guy looks too young to be a doctor.. and too young to have white hair.. and looks vaguely familiar.. and what is that on his head.. and this room is not a hospital room.. and did he say shinobi.' "Who are you?" she asked herself not meaning for it slip out for him to hear, she had an uneasy feeling about all this. Very very uneasy.

"Hmm.. do you not remember anything at all? Can you tell me who I am or who you are?". He looked truly concered that she wasn't able to remember. Something told her she just better keep silent and see what he said and Faith always listened to what her sixth sense told her.

"It appears you have amnesia, or else your memories have been wiped clean when you died. If you dont remember anything on your own within a few days, giving your body and mind some time to heal, we will try to regain your memories using a mind jutsu." This was something he had not expected. If the shinobi that were brought back could not remember thier past then it could be one big problem when they were revived. Orchimaru did not like problems.

"For the moment I will let you rest, you must be very exhausted after all, stay in bed and sleep. It may help you to remember. I'll be back later to check on your progress, Rai-san." He smiled and walked out the door leaving one hell of a confused Faith behind him.

Faith swallowed hard, that felling of dread still lingered close to her and the last parting words of that white haired man had her holding her breath... he had looked directly at her and called her Rai. She certainly would not be doing any resting any time soon.

Rai was not her name.

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Author notes: Short chapter I know... but i wanted to get it out there. The next chapter is in progress and will be longer and things will finally progrees a little bit faster as she comes to the grander scheme of things! Hopefully its not slow and boring for you guys?


	3. Chapter 3

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Turn confusion into... more confusion?!+

'Rai? That is definetly not my name, but yet he looked right at me and said it. Why would he call me Rai. Did he get me confused with someone else? But he almost acted as if he knew me. Why would he know me?' Faith was having a hard time coming to a conclusion, she brought her hand up to her temple in frustration and rubbed it. She was missing something important, that much she knew, and she wasnt going to like it when she found it. It was bugging her like a million nats buzzing around her head.

'Then he said something about a mission, ...then there was something else about shinobi, being brought back from the dead and mind jutsu if I couldnt remember? eh?' What did these things have to do with her?

'What does it all mean.' It was not making a lick of sense to her at the moment. Shakily she brought herself upright sitting on the bed and had a look around the room. It was a dark room, no windows and the only furniture in the room was the bed she sat on with candles lit throughout the room.

'This is _not_ a hospital.' thought Faith staring at her hands resting on her knees. She was getting more and more uneasy. She stared hard at her hands for a long time. Then unexpectedly something that started as an odd observation turned into huge revelation.

While staring at her hands she found her freckle on her left hand was missing. She looked closer at her hand, 'Yep, its gone alright.' She looked at her other hand which despite its seemingly normalness didnt look right either. She looked at her arms and found herself with a lack of freckles on her arms as well. They wern't big freckles, but she knew where each and every one was and none were there. 'and does my skin look a little ..tanner?' she asked herself. Freckles were not the only thing she found different on her body as she began to realize. 'Oh my god, are my boobs bigger!' she looked at her chest and indeed they did seem to take up more room on her chest then before... before the truck hit her... before she got here. 'and did my stomach get smaller cause I know it wasn't that flat before.' Her hair fell down over her shoulders and she went to push it back when she relized it was the wrong color. Her hair was supposed to be light brown, but now it was a deep dark brown and much shorter. 'What did that fuckin truck do to me? It's like I woke up a different person.' she mused. She looked at everything again and confirmed it. 'No, I _am_ a different person.' she said with a shudder as it dawned on her.

Faith held her hands tightly together, she was afraid she was about to come undone and lose herself completly. Her heart was racing wildly in a near panicked state, it was difficult to swallow and fear was taking a hold of her. She took a deep breath to calm herself but her hands just wouln't stop trembling. She did not have a very good feeling about this, none of it, and the more she thought about it the more alarmed she grew. She was not in a familiar place, she did not know that person, and most importantly this was not her body. Something told her she better keep all that information to herself or she just might find herself in an even more unpleasant situation than before, though Faith found that hard to believe but she always went with what her gut told her. She would not tell anyone.

Her gut also told her she was in a dangerous position, as if she found herself trapped in a den of sleeping lions that had not yet woken and relized she was there and if she didn't calm down they would wake immediatly and tear her apart. She would have to proceed with great care, but at the moment she was stuck where she was.. the path out was blocked.

'Breath.. just breath.' she said over and over calming herself. 'Dont think about your body. Breath and figure out what do to. What should I do? Everything is so wrong.' She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, in and out over and over as if meditating... which in a way she was. She was trying to get a feel of what to do and what had happened by opening a channel into her sixth sense and try to _read_ the surroundings, but it wouldn't tell her how she had gotten there, why she was there or why she was different. It was more like reading the impression that the people and surroundings gave you, like a type of advanced intuition that she could use when she pleases but it took a great deal of concentration on her part and she seldom used it.

'Damn, this is confusing. I get the notion its telling me to run for it but to stay put at the same time and there is someone outside the door, so escaping unseen is not an option. I can't do anything in my current state any how. My head is still dizzy, and I dont even know if I could walk straight even if I wanted to. I am stuck in here... and I have no idea what to do when that guy comes back to check on me. Maybe I can get some information or other out of him when he comes back, he seemed to know who I was even though he doesnt know who I am. Did that make sense? Nope, not one bit. None of this makes sense at all. And just what does he mean came back from a mission? I was driving home, I doubt that counts as a mission even if it was in the rain? Shinobi.. I dont have a clue.'

She thought back harder to what he said, ' He said I was dead and revived... I was revived and brought back to life..revived. Did I die? I do remember the truck, unable to stop and it hit the car, my car. I really did think I was going to die. Did I really die? Thats what he said... I died and he brought me back but, 'she swallowed hard at what she was about to tell herself. '... it doesnt feel like I am in my body, but its real.' Faith mulled over all this information for a very long time and if anyone had walked in on her at that particular moment they would have found her staring unblinkingly at the wall.

When she had drawn out all the possiable scenarios and possibilities of what happened she concluded several things, which she didn't really want to admit to herself that they were true but the evidence was too much to ignore and she felt an urgency to get answers now. The most important and difficult thing to believe was that she was not in a body she recognized, second she was in a place that was unfamiliar and three she was posititve that guy had something to do with both. She also realized that guy was going to come back eventually and probably expect her to remember something and if she didn't remember something, anything, he was going to use a mind something or other on her. She didn't like the sound of that.

'What do I tell him.? He cant know I am someone other than who he thinks I am, I just have that feeling I need to keep this to myself for now. I guess I am going to have to fake it. Ugh.. think faster girl!' she thought to herself. She knew she was running out of time.

She had been going over things in her head over and over again planning what to do and what to say when she heard footsteps outside the door. She was out of time. It was him and she mentally prepared herself to face this person again, this time she was coherent and almost pain free.

'Stay calm. Don't freak out. He doesn't know and he can't know and if he did know... well lets not go there.' This time she was going to get some answers, and to not panic now that she was finally calmed down some what and figure things out once and for all...just where the hell was she and who the hell he was? If those questions were answered then maybe she could find out why she was ... different. She was ready to face him...at least thats what she thought until she saw him.

Faith went pale as soon as she saw the white haired man.

'O shit' she said to herself. Things just went from bad to worse as she relized just why he looked familiar earlier.

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'This is either one hell of a sick joke and I fell for it hard or I am seriously delusional and need to be sent to the insane asylum as soon as possiable becuase if that guy doesn't look like Kabuto from Naruto then I'm Barney. Wouldn't this be nice if this was a joke?' thought Faith. 'But my senses would not be casuing me this much anxiety nor make me this nervous is this was a bad prank pulled by friends. It feels dark and real. Its like a bad dream where I know I'm dreaming and can't wake up.'

He walked in with a smile on his face and greeted her as if he would a friend. "Rai-san, so glad to see you are awake. Did you sleep well?"

'Damn, I'm not going to get away without answering this time. Keep answers short and simple. Let him do all the talking' she thought. "Yes, I slept well." she replied surprising herself that she sounded so calm because on the inside she was a wreck. Maybe she could pull it off by faking who ever it was he thought she was.

"Any more pain?"

"No." She knew what the next question was going to be.

"If you do have any more pain let me know immediatly. You are the first person brought back from the dead using the Soul Revival Technique and I do not know what implications, other then memory loss, will be if any. Has any of your memory come back?

"I remember your name, Kabuto." He was expecting her to remember more than his name she knew. She was going to have to take a blind leap forward. "And, I am a ninja to the hidden village of sound and servant to Orchimaru-sama. Everything else is still pretty fuzzy."

'He said I died on a mission after all so thats got to be right, he is a sound ninja and of course everyone knows who controls that palce.'

"Ah, good to see some of your memory is returning on its own. We wont need to do a mind exploration on you to retrieve your memories then. It appears you are in good stable condition so there is no need in retaining you any further in the medical center."

'Some medical center. Looks more like a creepy dungeon. And no you wont be doing any of that mind exploration stuff on me cause if you did then you would probably know everything.'

"Also, there has been someone waiting outside since your recovery. Being around people and places that are familiar to you may help clear you memories, I'll let him in on my out and you are free to go." Kabuto left and she was left alone once again until her visitor got there.

"O thank god he left!' she said to herself has she let out the air she had been holding in the whole time he was there. She felt some what relieve he didnt notice anything, but now she felt a new apprehension grow as someone different was approaching her room.

She stood up prepared for the worst.

How much more could she take in one day before being pushed to her limit, before the breaking point? This just might be it.

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Author blurb: So does aynone like this story so far? Anyone at all?

Next time on Faith Goes Mentally Insane, Faith will come to terms with her love for Kabuto and together they will kill Orchimaru and skip off into the sunset. Just kidding. Though she just might have a break down, who knows.


	4. Chapter 4

I'm not telling - I dont like short chapters either.. it sucks! It is something I am trying to work on without making the chapters boring. Ch 2 & 3 were going to be one, but i couldn't wait that long to post it.

Maple Story of Anime - I know what you are saying! lol I said to myself.. this is too much thinking..is this going to slow?...grr... but it all had be said and done.. though it could have been better. Well.. hopefully this is betta?

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Chapter 4

Her visitor was a young man, if she had to guess she would have to say he was in his early twenties, with dark black hair which covered his left eye as it swept to one side of his face and he had dark blue eyes. If she had meet him a different day, a different time, back in her world she would have thought him cute, but in her current state of distress it was the last thing on her mind.

"Rai-san, I...uhm.. was told you dont remember what happened...that you barely remember anything?" He took a couple of tentative steps into the room, a little unceratin on what to say or do.

"Yes." Faith replied, a little relieved it wasn't someone _else_ that came to call, but still uneasy none the less.

"So you wouldn't remember who I am then would you?"

"No." No point in lying to him she thought, though it did look like he was a little disappointed at the news.

"Kabuto warned me as much. I guess then an introduction is in order. My name is Tadashi. We've known each other for a long time, since we were kids. I don't really know what else to tell you, it must be hard trusting someone else when you barely know who you are yourself."

Faith nodded at him agreeing but laughed in her head at that. 'You have no idea!'

"I just want you to know though that you can trust me, but the main reason I am here is to accompany you home. I am ready to leave if you are. This place, it gives me the creeps. It's feels more like a morgue than a medic center." He shivered as if to reinforce his feelings. It gave Faith the creeps too with its dark and dreadful aura looming in every corner of the room and through the air. Any where had to be better than this depressing room. He didn't seem much of a bad guy anyway she concluded, and he ceratinly didn't give her a negative wave like Kabuto had.

"Yes, I am ready." she told him. She was more than ready to leave this room but dreading the unknown of what was further from these doors. She forced herself to relax and has they walked out the door reminded herself again to say as little as possible for now.

Tadashi lead the way out of the medic building and through dark corridors out into a vast opening where a few other shinobi were gathered. The ceiling, the walls and the floor were all earth and there was no light coming in from outside. The only light that could be seen by was that from lamps. It was a rather dark dreary gathering place and everything stank of wet dirt, but it was still better than that medic room.

Faith looked around familiarizing herself with the place since it seemed she would be stuck her. 'ok.. not so bad in here.'

"If you need anything this is where most bartering takes place and most stuff is over priced and poor quality at that. Most of the shinobi that reside here are located down that passage way there," Tadashi pointed at a dark tunnel like the one leading out from the medic building. "but the higher ranking shinobi are located further away from the trade center and that is where we are heading." They continued straight through the middle of the large underground room and made toward anouther entrace near the end where a couple of shinobi where standing and Faith could feel them all staring as they walked by.

One unpleasant looking man stepped out in front of them as the others looked on.

"Whats this? It looks like Rai-san has recovered and she and Tadashi-san were just going to pass us by without a greeting. How rude." He stared at her with his cold unsympathic eyes.

"I don't have the patience to put up with your shit today." Tadashi spat at him. Faith noticed the icy tone of Tadashi voice and his change in demeanor.

"But I was only worried Tadashi-san." the large unpleasant man replied feigning concern. "I heard she had lost all her memory. What a shame, I wonder what Orchimaru-sama will do with such a useless shinobi."

Tadashi turned back on his heels and faced him eye to eye, he was pissed. "It would be in your best intrest if you shut that loud mouth of yours and not say anouther word, Iwao-san. This way Rai-san." Tadashi said sternly without looking back.

'Whoa.. thats not the same Tadashi I meet in the medic room,' thought Faith as they continued on down the long corridor.

When they were out of hearing range of the others he told her quite grimly ,"I am going to warn you Rai-san, since you have lost all your memories and you are vunerable right now to stay clear of Iwao-san. We may be on the same team with him but he holds a grudge against you. He has been trying to gain favor with Orchimaru-sama since he got here and has failed. To him you are the one in his way, always getting recognized by those he is trying to please and you are casting a shadow over him. At least that is the way he sees it. Just be on your guard when he is around ok?"

Faith nodded, "Ok." It wasn't hard to agree with that request.

"Under normal circumstances I wouldn't be worried, you can handle your own," He really did sound concerned."however he will try to take advantge of your confusion if he can." They continued on down the long corridor passing several doors until Tadashi came to stop.

"This is your room, here." He opened the wooden door and stepped inside the small room. "I put all your weapons, and a new forehead protector on your bed, the old one was so badly damaged it had to be replaced." He was being uncannily nice for a sound ninja.

"uhmm, thanks." Faith replied. There wasn't much to the room. It was small open area that was only large enough for a bed, small table and a dresser. One lamp light the whole room, it reminded Faith of a dungeon prison.

"This must be difficult for you not remembering a thing. Get some rest and tomorrow morning I'll be back and we can go over some things." He smiled at her and said his goodbye and was out the door.

She shut the door behind him, put her back to door and took a deep breath and let out a laugh that was so disturbing it would have given Kabuto chills. "I just walked through lair of the Hidden Sound village..." Laughing was a good way to relieve nervous tension and Faith was just about to have a nervous breakdown.. her nerves had to go somewhere or her nerves were not going to be the only thing that breaks.

" ... and it was real." she said on a more sober note pulling her brain together to think.

"Well, I made it here without much of an incident. I guess I have to keep this up and pretend I know what I am doing. I wonder how long that will last?" She laughed out loud again looking around the small room again and finding the pile Tadashi had left on the bed. Sharp pointy things were always a good distraction from waking up somewhere in a fantasy world realizing you were in a different body, neh?

"At least I know what most of this is. Lets see.. shuriken.. kunai.. sharp needle thingys... knife.. headband thingy.." She picked up the headband with the Sound Villages emblem. "I suppose I got to put this thing on if they think I am sound ninja. I better put it on now or I'll prolly forget later." She tied it around her head and placed the rest of the stuff back into the pouch and put it on the table.

When she had distracted herself long enough with the weapons her thoughts finally turned to the next day and what would come with it. "Am I ready for tomorrow? No, I am not. It would be easier if I knew something about who this is," she said referring to the person who body she was know in, "or even if I knew something about that Tadashi guy."

Her thoughts wondered about many things, searching for answers that were no where in sight until she finally fell asleep sitting on the bed with her back against the wall, but her sleep was not uninterrupted. Her dreams were broken by visions of people, places and feelings that were all too real to be dreams, but how many times have you had a dream you thought was real?

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Somewhere a little girl sat alone by a stream playing with her doll swinging it back and forth when she noticed a little boy who was no more than 3 years old come out of the woods. He was sobbing quitely and dirty head to toe.

"What's the matter?" the little girl asked the boy. She bent down and wiped away his tears. "Dont worry. I will help you so dont cry. Where is your mommy and daddy?"

"I dont know." He said quitely, "Have you seen my mommy or my daddy?"

"Did you get lost? I will help you find them."

The little boy shook his head. "No. I ran away from that place where everyone doesn't have mommies or daddies. I want to find a mommy and a daddy. I don't want to go back." He cried again for he was truly lost, lost in a place where no one saw him, where no one loved him.

"No mommy or daddy?" The little girl who was not much older than the boy thought hard about this. He didn't have a mommy or even a daddy and the little girl could only come to one cunclusion. "I know!" she said brightly suddenly remembering what her mother had told her not too long. "Don't cry. I know where your daddy is but mommy is gone away now. When daddy sees you he will be soo happy."

The little boy hiccuped as he tried his best to stop his tears. This girl knew where is daddy was?

"Come with me." She took his hand and he held on to it tightly.

The little girl ran into her house with a smile as big and bright as the sun. "Daddy! Daddy! Look what I found! ." Her father saw her beaming smile and could only smile back at his only childs happy face. It had been a while since he had seen her this happy.

"What is it honey?" he asked her.

The little girl was bouncing up and down. "I found him daddy! I found him!" She went back outside dragging her father with her and pointed at the little boy with ragged clothes. She ran to the boy and he wrapped his arms around her hugging her tightly.

"And who is this that you have found?" The young girls father looked at the ragged appearance of the boy and knew he was homeless and maybe even without parents. He had never seen the boy around the village before though, so he didn't know where he had come from.

"I found my brother!" she exclaimed happily. Her fathers heart stopped. "Mommy said that I would get a little brother or sister soon and we wouldn't know until they got here, but I found him in the woods. Mommy would be soo happy I found him for you." The little girl was indeed very happy that she was able to find her brother, for her daddy had been very sad when mommy had gone and she would not be coming back. She hoped her daddy would not be so sad anymore.

Her father was stunned by his daughters proclamation. When her mother was alive they had failed to explain to her how a brother or sister would come into the world and her father also failed to tell his little girl that when his wife died the brother or sister she was eagerly awaiting for was gone as well. His wife had recently died to an illness along with the baby she had been caring for 6 months.

"Is daddy happy that I found my brother too? Well daddy not be so sad any more?" she asked him when he did not move from the door way, nor make a sound.

It was too much for the recently widowed man listening to his innocent daughters claim and looking at the little boy clutching her hand hand holding it tightly, looking hopefully at him with wide eyes in awe. He could't bring himself to tell her that she was wrong, nor could he look into the little boys eyes and tell him no he wasn't his father and you can't stay here. There had already been too much grief here and he was not willing to deal out any more to his daughter and the little boy looked like he had his fair of grief too. He knew what he was going to do.

"My little Rai-chan," he said barely holding back tears, "Daddy is very happy and promises not to be so sad anymore." he said pulling both children into a hug.

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Faith woke up with a sharp pain piercing through her temple and she knew it had to do with her latest _dream. _The pain was so intense she missed the knock on the door until she heard someone call out to her through the door.

She opend it to find Tadashi.

"I thought.. Are you ok?" he asked seeing her.

"I'm fine.. just a headache.."

"Do I need to get Kabtuo or someone cause if.."

"No, no.." she said hurriedly. That was the last person.. wait second to last person she wanted to see here. "it's just a headache, it will go away soon." At least she hoped it would.

"If you don't feel well still, then maybe I should come back later?"

"No, thats ok. Come in.. there is something I need to know from you." She needed to know if that dream was just her vivid imagination or if it was something that really happened. He came in and sat at the table as she shut the door. It was kinda wierd asking this guy to come in and have a seat.

"What you need to know Rai-san?"

"I had a dream, but I dont think it was a dream and I need to be positive."

Tadashi looked confused. "How can I help you decided if you had dream ot not?"

"I'm not sure if it was really a dream. I think I might have seen.. something that happened in the past."

"You mean you think you remembered something?" he asked perking up a bit.

"Maybe. There was a little girl who meet a small boy in the woods and she took him home thinking..." she trailed off, it was such a real dream.

"Thinking she found her brother?" he finished for her.

"yes!" she gasped. So it was real. She saw something she shouldn't have been able too right? She wasn't this other person.. though she started thinking now...she was in the body which means everything was this others persons, including her brain where all memories are stored. Things just rose to whole new level of strange.

He smiled. "It wasn't a dream. I'm relieved you are getting some memories back already."

"But... if you know... does that mean you were the little boy."

"Of course. I remember it like it was yesterday, best day of my life." he said thinking once again about all those years ago. "I found the family I was looking for... no that's not right.. you found me." He smiled at her, grateful she was regaining her memories so he could once again regain his sister.


	5. Chapter 5

thedude917 - Thank you very much for you nice reviews. Much appreciated! And just for you I will tell you Faith and Rai's ages. Faith 24, Rai 22. and Konoha is in the future for her, but not just yet.

Chapter 5

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Faith was pacing around the small room after Tadashi had left trying to sort things out once again. After having slept the night in the strange place didn't calm her any but at least she could think clearly or as clearly one could.

"It wasn't a dream, I have someone elses memories in my head.. o wait.. thats not mine either." She laughs at her ironic revelation with dry humor.

OK, ok.. I already went through the this isn't my body phase, I am suppsoed to be working on the getting the hell out of here phase." she nodds to herself pacing once again. "I can't walk out of here cause I dont know the way out and it would look suspicous if I just started wondering all over the place, but I bet Rai knew the way out." She had an idea, but was unsure if she could actually do it.

"If I could see her past in a dream then there must be more memories in there somewhere, including this place. If I could just see those certain memories then maybe I could leave without a hitch." She sat on the bed with her goal in mind, to leave, and to find that out she needed to dig into Rai's memories.

Crossing her legs while sitting on the bed, she closes her eyes and tries to find a way back into the memories she know are there. Excited that she had a plan that could be her one way ticket out of her she rushed to quickly find an answer. Time past and nothin happened. No visions, no memories, just frustrating blackness that was the back of her eyelids.

She growled in annoyance at her failed attempt to retrieve some sort of information and threw the pillow across the room. This was getting no where. She bit her lip determined to get what see wanted.

"Well that went no where fast. Let's try it a different way maybe...maybe concentrate like I do when I am looking for someones presence." She noded to herself at what sounded like a good idea.

She cleared her mind of all things and only concentrated on the here and now, reaching out and touching her surroundings feeling the presence of other people nearby with her preternatural powers. Slowly she narrowed her concentration only on the room she was within, blocking everything else from invading her senses and then narrowing it down from the room to the bed she was sitting on until she was concentraing only on herself. Blocking out the presence of others, blocking out thier essence, thier aura, she had found her own. There was only her and nothing else and she started her search.

She shifted through her very being for something foreign that didn't belong to her, to her own memories and past. Her senses led her to the most recent night of when she slept recalling a little boy in the woods, her dream that wasn't a dream, and it was there she felt a snag. Something was hidden beyond that dream attached by a thin invisiable wire that could only be felt, connected to that dream that shouldn't be there...connected to Rai's memories.

Faith took hold and was once again looking into the memoy of Rai as a young girl, embraced by her father with the little boy by her side and then being led into the house. This was were the dream left off, she had found her it. She had found her own way into Rai's memories.

'woohoo' she rejoiced and did a little dance mentally in celebration of her findings. 'Now lets see what else there is in here...'

"Rai-san, wake up!" Tadashi violenty shook Rai who was sitting on the bed with her eyes closed, perfectly still, oblivous to the world.

He shook her again and was mentally kicking himself for leaving her in such a vunerable state when she had told him earlier she had a headache. What if something was wrong. He slapped her lightly across the check and she jumped as she suddenly reliazed she wasn't alone in the room.

"Are you ok?" he asked with panic clearly written in his eyes.

She blinked at him a couple of times trying to adjust her vision as the room clearly seemed to be spinning around and around in all directions. "Dammit. I almost had it." she stated as she fell to lay on the bed holding her head. Being rudely awoken from a near catatonic trip down someone elses memory lane was no picnic in the park.

"Almost had what? What happened?" he asked still worried but obviously confused as to what she was mumbling about.

'Crap, what am I going to tell him...think fast.' Blinking light bulb in head going off "Uhmm.. havn't you ever heard of meditating?" 'Hmm, yeah.. thats a good one... you could call it that I guess', she thought as she mentally congratulated herself on her quick thinking skills.

"Meditating?" He didnt sound very convinced.

"Yes, medidtating. That was until you disturbed me and I was on the verge of ... uhm.. reaching something important." 'And you, you big idiot, ruined it.' she thought crossly to herself. She sat up on the bed when the room stopped spinning to face him.

"Meditating?" He arched an eyebrow in a quizzical manner.

"It.. helps clear the mind and find ones inner self. I thought maybe it would help with my memories" Which was the truth.

"HAHAh HAhahahah." Tadashi burst out in uncontrollable laughter. "You meditating.. the world has come to an end."

"I fail to see the humor." she said flatly staring at him laughing which was quiet amusing in itself and found herself rather relaxed to be around him.

"It's just that you've never been one to meditate. You always thought it was stupid, pointless, and a waste of time and effort."

"Desperate times call for drastic actions." she told him sarcastically. She reprimanded herseld, 'Darn it. I am going to have to watch myself from now on though. I cant be doing to many things out of character... I better find out what she was really like.'

"So..." he said teasingly, "did you reach Enlightenment?"

"No.." she sighed "you interrupted me."

"Oh, sorry...but I came in because I know you havnt been out to get food, so I though you might be hungry since you havnt ate all day and you also wouldn't answer the door either."

"What time is it?"

"It's nearly midnight."

"What! It's that late!" she said unbelieving. 'I've been in here that long and I only got that far to Rai's memories. This is going to take forever!' she moaned in her head.

Her stomach growled brining them back to the previous conversation of food.

"I take that as a no you havn't ate." he smiled. "I brought you a sack with some food." He said as he retrieved the bag where he left it by the door, and when he turned around an odd sight caught his eye.

"Why is there a pillow stuck behind the dresser?" he asked her as he pulled it out from the dark shadows behind the dresser.

"uhhhh" she she said meekly " I threw it." She confessed.

He laughed out loud for the second time that night. "You threw it? Well I dont think you will reach Enlightenment by throwing things around in a temper but thats more like the Rai I know." He threw the pillow back at her which she caught, and set the food on the table.

'So, Rai liked to throw things when she was mad did she? Or was she just violent in general?' she wondered. 'Probably both.' she concluded.

"Have you had any luck remembering anything else?" Tadashi asked her.

'Well, almost had something going until I was interrupted.' she sighed, "No, nothing else yet."

"Thats ok. You got one memory back, I'm sure the rest will come to you eventually. In the meantime Kabuto suggested that we go ahead and continue with our regular routine for now and keep training. Iv'e got to take some weapons to be fixed after they were damaged on our last mission," he said heading for the door "but I'll see you in the morning for training."

"ok" she replied as she watched him exit then shut the door behind himself. She waited a good several minutes after he left to take in the information...and then when she was sure he was good and gone...

"TRAINING!!" She ranted while flailing her arms about wildly. "I'm in deep shit! Damn that Kabuto and his suggestions!" she carried on wildly, "I can't do any of that stuff. I'm doomed. They are going to find out I can't do any of these things a ninja is supposed to do. Maybe I'll feign sickness.. no wait.. Tadashi will just get Kabuto. Damn." She slumped in the chair that was at the table. She sighed as she stared at the bag Tadashi left on the table which her stomach instantly reminded her that there was food in it. "Might as well have a full stomach if they are going to decapitate me later." she grumbled reaching for the bag.

She opend it and found a box containing rice, strange looking veggies and some wierd things roll up in something even weirder. Well, food was food and she was starving. She digged in the bag hoping for an eating utensil and pulled out two 'sticks'. She sighed staring at the chop sticks, "As if things were not complicated enough. I dont even want to know what they would do to me if they found out I dont even know how to use these things!"

She stabbed her food and began to eat. "Well, at least its something to eat with. Though I can't believe he brought me food and remembered to put utensils in there as well. He's nice... got a ncie aura too.. no murderous, evil, corrupt, hateful, foul, malevolent, vile intentions in him at all. He doesn't seem crazy either, so why is he here."

People had to be either insane or evil-minded in some way or anouther to be here, right? Or trapped like she was...

-------------------------------------------------------------

Next morning: Training

Faith wasn't sure what time it was, she didnt have a clock and there were no windows to look out to see the sun, but she supposed it was morning when she heard knocking on the door and Tadashi annoucing it was time for training.

"If I ignore him maybe he will go away." she pondered laying in the bed in which she did not sleep. " Nah, I'm not that lucky."

She reluctantly rolled off the bed and shouted, "I'll be out in a minute."

She grabbed her stuff she thought she would need and headed toward the door. "Well, time to see if my sleepless night of studying and now monsterous pounding splitting head ache paid off." She took a big breath ready for her new life or death challenge of the day, well not really, but as ready as one can be.

Tadashi was waiting leaning against the side of the wall waiting for her when she came out. "Ready?"

"Yeah.", she replied but her voice in her head was telling her somthing different. 'Nope. Can I change my mind? Because I am so not ready for this. Nope can't change your mind. Then he'll want to know why.' she argued with herself, ' Adrenaline don't fail me now!'

All the while down the corridors, towards the training rooms, Faith kept remembering what she learned last night. Now it was almost time to apply that knowledge.

-----------------------------------

On the next chapter of Survivor: Orchimaru's Lair, Faith enters the Training Grounds but will her new knowledge help her at all and just where did this knowledge come from!?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

-----------

Training Room Underground

'O joy, anouther big dark dreary dirt room' Faith thought has she entered the training room behind Tadashi.

"We can start out with some basic level moves and then.."

Faith interrupted him, "Actually, I was wanting to train by myself today."

"Oh." he said a little disheartened. "ok, if you sure you want to train alone." Then he looked at her with one eyebrow raised. "You didn't forget how to do your jutsus did you?"

'shit..' panic panic "Of course not!" she declared loudy. "Why would you think that!" 'O damn.. !' she thought she was nailed.

"Oh come now, can't I tease you a little. You've teased me enough, I thought it was pay back time. I didn't really think you would forget, it would be like forgetting how to walk or breathe." He got a good laugh at her expense. "I'll be checking on the weapons later and when they are done I will meet up with you."

"ok" she said as he left.'Oh my gosh..that scared me.. I thought he was on to me there for a second.' She let out the breath she had been holding in.

"Alone... Now I can test this out without any interfernce in an open space... and it better work."she dug through her pouch looking for her weaopns, "I spent the whole freakin night learning this crap which has given me a bloody headache from hell so bad I can barely see straight, I still have to pretend everything is fine and dandy, and the throwing up my dinner last night, several times, cause of the pain was not much fun either." she ranted on and on to herself as she found her kunia, "This better work or I am so screwed... next time he really might not leave."

---

Last night during dinner Faith came across a startling discovery when she was thinking of a way to avoid training, beacuse she had no glimmer of a hope as passing for a ninja or doing anything that was expected of a ninja. The first thing she would need to pass as a ninja was knowledge, ninja's had all these special skills not to mention they could use chakra, which was something she could definitly not fake. Chakra didn't exist in her world and surely didn't exist in her. She really didn't think about any of this until she realized that she did have the knowledge through Rai's memories...in Rai's body, and Rai's body had chakra! Faith did have chakra and she did have the access to all the things she needed to know, if she could get back and find it that is. So Faith thought it a good idea to at least try to see if she could do it, or else she would have to avoid training forever and she didn't think that would go over very well.

Most of the entire night had been dedicated to getting back into Rai's memories, second time being much easier, though it was not easy searching for the specific things she was looking for. She had to search through those memories for something she could use for today, just in case Tadashi wouldn't leave at her request or even worse if someone else was here she would have to demonstrate a few ninja skills. Shuriken and kunia throwing plus two jutsus that looked interesting were the bare minium that she wanted to learn despite the strain it put on her phsyche. It seemed her brain could only handle so much "traveling between" before she had to stop from the shear pain in her temple, a few minutes at a time was all she could manage in Rai's memories but she managed to dig up a few things.

While Rai's memories did have alot of experieance and knowledge, it wasn't transfered to Faith directly. She would have to learn it and memorize it on her own, though she had tremendous boost to her learning process because memories also included feelings, movements, so Faith was able to literally feel how to correctly throw a shuriken and use chakra to perform a jutsu... which was alot better than someone showing or telling you how to do it. She had the concpet of what everything should feel like, inlcuding the movement of chakra, and now it was time to actually do it herself.

She had to admit she was nervous about this whole thing, but at least there was no one here to watch her. She definitly did not want any company while she figured this all out for the first time, anyone with a brain would figure out she didn't know what the hell she was doing. It never occured to Faith that she would be able to actually pull off pretending to be a ninja but know she might be able to pretend to know how to do something if she could do it half assed at least.

---

"Ok, lets begin."

She scouted out a wooden post which would be her target and stood not to far away for her first attempt. She faced the post, tightened her grip on the kunia, and practiced a few throws before letting the kunia fly out of her hand.

thump It hit the mark. clank Which it then immediatly fell to the ground.

"well... at least I hit the post. I guess the throw wasn't hard enough for it to stick."

She grabed anouther kunia, and aimed for the post and practiced a few throws again like she would a dart before letting it fly towards the dart board, but this time she put alot more force behind her throw when she let it fly. It hit the mark with a well sounded thump and stayed.

"That wasn't so hard. Kinda like throwing darts at the bar." After several hits and misses with the kunia she decided it was time to move on. "OK this is getting repititve and boring, time to try out the stars."

The shuriken wasn't has hard to throw has she first thought, but of course she went through the motions several times in Rai's head when she practiced throwing them so it probably had a big effect on that ability.

"This is kinda like throwing a frisbee if you ask me.. a really really small one" she thought as she took the star by its point and threw it at the post with a thump as it connected. She threw several rounds of stars, aiming at the still object wasn't all difficult. "It's all in the movement of the wrist. I don't know if its thanks to my frequent visit to local bar or Rai's memories but well, all that was kinda easy, but I'll work on refining my aim later. Now for that other thing...chakra."

This was the moment she was most worried about, whether she would be able to use chakra or not. She had chosen two techniques in Rai's memories to study, learn, and try out, an earth based jutsu and a fire based jutsu. She decided on trying the earth based jutus first, Earth Release: Piercing Spikes, which would create sharp jutting spears out of earth. After memorizing the hand signs, how it felt to control the chakra and use it for this type of technique she wouldn't be any more ready than she was now.

She flexed her fingers in nervous agititon and got ready to make the signs. "Ready" One deep breath in and out. She made the hands signs like she had practiced, gathered the chakra like she had felt in the memories, and said "Earth Release: Piercing Spikes.", as she let the chakra out into the earth. An 8 foot spike shot out of the ground so fast, mere inches from her nose, it took her by surprise.

"GAH!!!" she yelled as she fell backwards on her ass as she covered her face with her arms. She stared unbelieving at the huge spike in front of her as she sat sprawled on the ground. "It worked... it acutally worked..." she said in disbelief., "..I did it on my first try...and I almost shish-ka-bobed myself." she clutched her heart which had the shockof its life. She got up on shaky legs and inspected the spear that she almost impaled herself on. "Whew. That was kinda to close for personal comfort, bad spear." she told the dirt spike with a pointy finger like she would a bad dog. "I guess I released the energy to close to me."

The rest of the afternoon was spent on getting familiar with the differnt distances she could get the spears to travel, the number of spears she could call at once until she felt she has a good enough understanding of the mechanics of it all. Now it was time to play fire. The fire based jutsu she wanted to use was the Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu. Who didn't want to learn how to shoot fire from thier mouth?

"ok.. 3 things down, one more to go. Lets get this done before he comes back." She pushed on to learn to the other jutsu despite being tired and her headaches.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique" she called forth and indeed it was a great fireball...a great fireball that exploded right in her face. cough, cough she gagged when she accidentally breathed in hot air. 'Fires not so cool now.. though I did get it ... kinda' ,she thought to herself, 'I need to work on the releasing the stupid stuff.'. She decided after that attempt she had done enough for one day and was due for a break and would wait for Tadashi to return.

---

"What happened?" Tadashi asked has he looked at the exhousted Faith who looked very dirty.

"I played with fire, learning a new jutsu. It didn't go well."

"Oh.. is it that new jutsu you were talking about before we left on the mission? Geez... is that why you didnt want me around, its not like im going to steal it or anything. You know I suck at those difficult jutsus."

"Uh yeah .. well I want to work alone on it." Desperate to change the subject she switched to something else "Uhmm.. get the weapaons fixed?"

"They were more damaged then what I thought, they were scrapped. New ones.." BOOM There was a huge explosion from somewhere outside and the room shook slightly as bits of earth came lose from the ceiling.

"What was that!" Faith asked Tadashi.

"That was a rather powerful explosion, it could only be Orchimaru or his new student, not many here have what it takes to make the whole training area shake, its a pretty sturdy place, and the most powerful five shinobi that we had didn't come back with him so its got to be them."

"New student..and the five didn't come back" Click went something in her brian. 0o

"Yeah, the 5 with the cursed seal. Nothing has been said about thier absence but everyone suspects that they are dead. Some think it was this new student of his that did it, no one has seen him yet excecpt for Kabuto. Which reminds me, I saw him earlier. He was interested in how you were doing, I told him you were busy training, and he would like to do the post examination on you this evening after you finish to check your progress and see if there are any other side effects yet."

Faith nearly tripped over her own feet. "This evening."

----------------

Later...

Once again walking down the damp and cold hallway that was called the medic center, Faith could not help but feel her gut twist in retaliation. This was the place she hated the most and waht was waiting for her at the end was not very comforting either.

She entered the room with the awaiting Kabuto.

"Ah, Rai-san. I have been expecting you for some time now. Tadashi-san has told me you have been training." he smiled from behind his glasses.

She only nodded. It took everything she had to stay in the room with him.

"Good. You have had no other side effects so far other than some memory loss."

"No."

"Excellent news, but I will to check over you to make sure I am not missing anything. And you are getting your memories back."

"Of course." she told him what he wanted to hear, but she never lost her own memories to begin with so it wasnt a lie.

"It seems though you are one extraordinary person Rai-san. I have treid to revive others using the same technique I had on you, but to no avail they all fail. It is very baffling trying to pinpoint why it has not worked on others, so I have called you here for your _help_." he smiled that pretend smile.

'I dont like where this is going.' Faith thought. "What do you mean by help?" she asked him her heart skipping a few beats with visions of being tortured.

"O, nothing that you can't handle. I only need some blood samples from you and a few tests." he smiled again.

On the side of the room where bags, needles amongst other medical things and scrolls. Her stomach lurched. 'he means im going to be a guiena pig now.'

"Have a seat on the table and we shall begin." he grabbed a needle and bag for the blood samples and set it up to gather a pint of blood for later examination.

Has the blood filled the bag he examined her head with his medical expertise using chakra and jotted down notes into a scroll. All the while Faith was certain he would discover something unusual and use that chakra to make her head explode or something along those lines.

He took his time and was very meticulous in his procedures checking and scribbling in his scrolls every so often.

After all was done, she was dismissed and was given a clean bill of health from an approving Kabuto.

'Well how very...unexpected. It really was just a check up. They still have no clue!' she couldnt believe it as she stood up to leave.

"ah Rai-san before you leave I have the pleasure to inform you that Orchimaru-sama has requested the services of one of our strongest shinobi, since he will be unable to do it himself for a short while, to oversee the devolpment of one of his projects and I believe you would be the perfect choice with your skills. Be sure to get a goodnight sleep for tomorrow." Then he was gone in a poof of smoke.

"What..did he say? Tomorrow?" .0o. She didnt like the sound of that. 'I don't want to find out.. can I call in sick tomorrow?' She shook her head. 'Just how the hell am i going to get through this one.'

She sighed and stopped along the wall to steady her still beating heart from all the adrenaline, it was very nerve racking being in the same room with Kabuto even without the place being creepy and now add the pressure of doing one of Orchimaru's task.

As she pushed her hand off the wall, a door opened up with a foul smell accompanying it. It was a musky smell and Faith only dared to peak through. "What the..."

Through the crack she saw several rows of white clothes hiding something beneath. She looked at all the rows, some were small and others were large, and they were organized in order from smallest to largest. She didnt relize what lay beneath until she spied the table in the back.

'Oh my gosh... bodies, and alot of them.' She shut the door quickly and made a quick exit back to the safety of her room... or as safe as one could get in the undeground village of the sound.

Sleep would not come again that night for Faith.

--------------------------

Next Morning - The Project

"Your off early." said Tadashi as he spied her making her way down the halls. "Off do some more training?"

She yawned. "No. I have been selected to oversee a project of Orchimarus for the time being."

Her overwhelming joy was apparently lacking and Tadshi felt the need to apologize for it. "I'm sorry Rai-chan. I know you dont like to do these things for Orchimaru... if only I had..." he looked quit guilty and wouldnt look her eye.

"If only you had what?" she asked him.

"If only we had not meet him that day none of this would have happened. If I had not been so deluded... so carless. We wouldnt be here if it wasnt for me. I know you must hate me for that and you are always the one that bares all the responibility and you have been taking my share as well because I have been useless here. I should have listened to you. I...I.. " he stuttered as he tried to apalogize.

'Woah woah.. whats he talking about.. him.. he must be reffering to Orchimaru.' It was something important she knew, but she couldnt stand to see him like this. He was supposed to be the stable one!

"Tadashi... stop." It was kinda freakin her out. "You have not been useless" She was indeed grateful for his presence here, if not for him there would be no light in this dark hidden world. "We can.. talk about this later." she told him gently... 'After I find out what he is talking about anyway.'

"I'm just tired right now.. ok. Nothing for you to worry about." she consoled him. 'and why the hell am i telling him this? I dont know a damn thing.'

Tadashi only nodded.

"I'll see you after I am done."

"ok, be careful..whatever this project of Orchimarus is." he said softly.

"I will." she eased is troubled mind as walked towards the projecting that was left in her hands. 'Looks like I am not the only one that is wary of Orchimaru... but if he isnt an Orchimaru fanatic what does that mean? Dang there is so much about Rai that I dont know... I am going to have to work on that as well.'

She finally came to the assigned room she was given for the project which turned out to be a very large training room, much like the one she was in before. 'No one else is here... so what am I supposed to do now?' She was much puzzled as to what it was they expected her to do though she was very relieved to not find bodies lying about like she hallucinated last night while she was unable to sleep. 'Well if there aint nothing here im not staying here... Kabuto can just kiss my ass.' she thought as she turned around to leave and turned almost directly into someone... someone she had not meet before.

"Are you Rai?"

"uhhh..." was all she could say as she stared at the young boy she had definitly not expected to run into.


	7. Chapter 7

Im not telling - Woohoo! Thanks for adding the story to your fav list! And yep, you prolly right about what I have planned. ;-)

Chapter 7 -

----

"Are you Rai?"

"uhhh..." was all she could say as she stared at the young boy she had definitly not expected to run into.

"Are you Rai or not?" he asked her again when she didnt answer right away and looking very annoyed to have to ask a second time.

She could only nod, her mind was still in processing mode.._ '..thats..thats him...here... he looks like such a kid' _There she stood standing in front of a boy no older than 13, dark hair and dark eyes that spoke volumes of anger yet held a passion with a purpose within them . She did not expect to meet this person here, someone else yes, but him, no.

"let's start then." he stated flatly positioning himself ready for attack.

She stared at him like he grew an extra head...'_Oh my gosh, I am so not fighting you! He crazy!' _Her mind going to full alert. _'Warning! Warning! Avoid at all cost: Battling the Uchiha!' _ "Whoa whoa! What do you think you are doing?" _If i battle him im going to lose a limb or something._

He narrowed his eyes. "We are training are we not? The morning as already been wasted, lets begin."

_'Damn, imaptient little bastard aint he. Disgruntled youth, anyone_? she stared looking at him, a boy with determination in eyes, yet clouded by an internal struggle within himself. _'A pity to see so much turmoil in such young eyes... and I know why.'_

---

_'Why is she staring at me like that? I don't like it. Its making me feel uneasy.' _He shifted in his stance troubled.

'_Damn her looking at me like she knows.' _He was getting irratated.

_' She knows nothing, nothing at all. Im tired of waiting, let's start this now!'_ He was going to draw his kunai and make her fight to see what she was capable of... to see if she was worth his time, but really it was stop her eyes from looking at what he felt underneath.

She spoke out suddenly.

-------

"Don't draw your kunai." she told him sharply._ 'Damn, he sure does want to fight. '_

He froze, having just barely begun to move. His interest in her just went up several notchs. '_How did she know I was going for a kunia and not something else? I wasn't even reaching for it yet..' _He glared at her.

_'Yeah, I bet you are wondering how I knew...my secret'_ She leaned agaisnt the wall for support, long night, no sleep made you kinda dizzy.

"Orchimaru is apparently away at the moment and has appointed me with overseeing your development for the next few days until he returns." _and just to make things clear..._ "I will not be sparring with you today, I will be evaualting your skills then we can go from there. My purpose is to monitor your training, not beat you up." _'Yeah, I am pretty good at this bullshitting stuff ha! Iv'e done it long enough I'm a pro at it.'_

He gave her a 'fine whatever look.'

"This is the begginers training area and..."

"Begginers. keh. I thought you wanted to test my skills not play kid games." he said butting in.

"I dont know if you have forgotten where you are, but there are no kids here."

He shut his mouth after that.

"What you will do is cross this training area, and retrieve a hidden scroll at the far end, that is your only objective. It is designed to test your speed and agility, all of course without getting killed. I'll evaluate your performance from here so I can see what I have to work with." she told him. _'Or at least thats what I was told I was supposed to be doing.'_

Again he gave anouther 'whatever' look and stayed silent, listening.

"You can begin anytime." she told him when she has no more to say.

And with that he was off in a flash.

Faith frowned. _'I hope he figures it out. They sure do like to mess with people heads here. And why did they pick me? uggh.' _she sighed inwardly rubbing her aching head.

-----------

Faith watched him from her vantage point from above. It was quite a large area which looked rather empty with sparse boulders or rocks here and there but she was told this particular training area was riddled with traps, illusions and other things, as were almsot all the training areas here were. She felt bad having to send the boy in there when she didnt even know what to expect herself, but this is what she had been sent to do and so far things were going undetected and she hoped to keep it that way.

She watched has he got though the traps pretty effortlessly, using fire to burn away ropes, dodging everything else and getting passed the illusion with little difficulty. _'Geez, he looks so tiny running around down there.' _she thought has she watched him nearing the end of the course. _'He is fast though. I wonder if I could do it that fast. He's almost at the end. We might even be done before lunch. I wonder if he would eat lunch with us.' _she laughed at the thought of having him sitting and chatting with her and Tadashi at a table. _'Nah.. it prolly be more like him sitting there in silence staring at nothing in particular then walking off.'_

_-------_

_'Where is this thing hidden.'_ He was scanning the area for the hidden scroll when a large area of the wall suddenly gave way like a dirt avalanche leaving behind a large dark hole.

_'Tch, I knew there was something else to this test. It's been to easy.'_ he said has he covered his face from the falling debris.

When the debris had settled, he glared into the darkness spying two golden eyes peering at him from beneath the veil of darkness. The beast within let out one low hiss and slowly slithered out into the open revealing its long enormous brown slender body all the while keeping its eyes locked onto Sasuke's. Sasuke gasped when he saw it emerge, the past remembered, and he froze.

Sasuke had seen a snake like this, in the forest of death, during the second part of the chuunin exams. The time Orchimaru came at him and Sakura with the intent to kill. Niether him nor Sakura were ready. Neither had enough strength. He wasnt strong enough then. He couldn't even protect those close to him... he couldn't even protect himself in that moment. There was only one who had the courage to stand and fight, and it wasnt him. Despite all that, all three nearly got killed because of him.

The monsterous snake bared its fangs, mouth wide, ready to strike.

_'I came here to overcome that weakness, to accomplish my goal, to gain the power that I need but most of all to make sure that never happens again!'_ He snaped out of his momentary paralysis and reached for the contents of his pouch.

------------------------------

_'What the fuck is that!!' _Faith stared wide eyed at the huge explosion that left a huge hole in the wall._ 'Oh my gosh!' _she gasped when she saw it's huge form revealed after the dust had settled. _'Thats one freakin huge ass snake and Sasuke's down there.'_ She was geniunly worried for the boys safety, he was still after all a boy.

_' Can he handle this on his own.. ? That thing is big, too big. Come on.' _shebounced up and down on the balls of her heels searching for the black haired youth.

She watched the snake slither out of the dark hole and found Sasuke unmoving. It's enormous mouth opened to reveal its fangs and still he did not move. From here she could see that he was frozen. She gripped the railing hard. "move you idiot." she breathed. Then the snake made to stirke forward when she saw Sasuke reach for his pouch and leap out of the way in time. _'Alright!' _

From above she saw him draw out 4 kunai, 2 in each hand with strings attached to them. The snake threw its head up looking for his prey and thats when Sasuke threw two kunai past the snakes head. He directed the flying kunai with his chakra to wrap around the snakes head and pulled tight severing the head from the body. It fell with a loud wet thump to ground.

_'He did it..but why do I still feel this danger emitting from down there?'_

----------------------------------------------------

Sasuke cut the strings to his kunia and placed them back in his pouch and returned his attention back to locating the scroll. He searched until the only remaining place to look was the hole from which the snake at come out of.

With his sharigan activated, he caught a glimpse of something moving in the shadows within the hole. _'Wait, not just one. There are several, many many more.'_ His eyes grew wide as he realized that the number was far greater than his eye's could count as they made there way towards the opening.

The massive collective of snakes were aroused by the taste of blood on the air and were slithering over one anouther out into the opening. No genin would be a match for the massive number of reptiles that laid within, even a lone chunin would have trouble, but Sasuke quickly put together what needed to be done. He retreated without the scroll as the snakes poured out but he wasnt too sure how he was going to stop them once he got out.

---------------------------------

If Faith was surprised by the first snake, then she was mortified by the number of snakes she saw emerging from the dark space. "Shit. Thats not good."

She would be needing to make a quick exit out of this area but she couldnt leave Sasuke alone. Faith had always had a strong sense of putting others before herself and if a kid was involved it made het that much more determined to help them. "This place is going to be infested with snakes... they didn't tell me there would be this many.. or this big either as a matter of fact. They just said there would be a test at the end with a beast."

She glanced at the retreating Sasuke and the snakes in pursuit. _'These aren't beasts! They are freakin monsters!' _ as she made her way to the exit but keeping her eye on him, it looked like he would make it.

They both leapt out the door with one of the giant snakes jaws reaching for them through the doors threshold. If she didn't do something Faith could see herself in the near future being swallowed by the damn thing. There was only one thing she knew how to do and she had better do it fast.

"Earth Release: Piercing Spikes" she managed to make the seals in time to pierce through the head of the snake that had made it through and effectively blocked the doorway with more earth spikes preventing others from passing. "Whew" she sighed in relief feeling the danger subside. She was ok but what about the boy.

She looked over Sasuke making sure he was unharmed._ 'Geez, how can these people train like this. And he looks pratcially fine, like this happens everyday and he is like what... tweleve!'_

Sasuke noted her promenint frown on her face and her eyes looking at him again. _'That was a powerful jutsu, she prolly could have killed them all with out a problem... and I could barely kill one.'_ He wasnt sure what she was thinking, waiting for the answer to the lack of scroll perhaps. "There is no scroll hidden in this area." he told her looking her dead on.

"Ah." _'yeah, the scroll thing..'_ She scratched the back of her neck. "Yes, you are correct. This test was designed to demonstrate that not every mission will be a success. There will be missions where the objective has either been moved or a trap has been set in anticpation for the enemy and was set up to test how long it took someone to realize that. A dumb shinobi is a dead shinobi. It wouldbe useless to stay and fight if your objective is not there. Anyway, it was also a good set up to analyze your skills in the differnt obstacles that where thrown at you." she told him what she had been told when she was given instructions to meet here earlier from anouther shinobi. _'though I wasnt told about the little twist at the end. I could kick someones ass for that. ' _She patted him once on the shoulder. "You pass."

The snakes head squirmed as if it had heard her. Faith looked at it with disgust, as did Sasuke but he was better at hiding his dislikes. "Uhg.. I hate snakes. Next time, we wont be using this area." She rubbed the temples on her forehead.

"We are done then?" he asked as if expecting there to be more.

"Yeah.. thats it for today." she replied. _'Cause i cant take no more surprises like that today.'_ she stared at the snake again.

"Tomorrow we start the real training." And with that he parted his way without anouther word.

_'That kinda sounded like an order if you ask me...brat.'_ she huffed as she turned to walk the other direction. _' Real training eh.. wont you be surprised.' _

-----------------------

"hey Tadashi." Faith greeted Tadashi as she sat down at a table with lunch.

He looked up from his own lunch. "Hey. Finished with Orchimaru's project?"

"Hardly."

"what is it this time?

"Over seeing the training of some kid."

Oh, well that doesnt sound to bad." he said with relief.

"Nuh huh." she sounded a bit peeved. _'This is Sasuke.. Orchimaur's new object of obsession, which he will no doubtly be watching with close eyes which means eyes on me as well. I'm stuck here forever!'_

Tadashi took note of her ill manner and thought twice about asking what happened, but decided he wanted to know... Orchimaru's projects were feared, least you become a part of it yourself, and some just didn't come back at all, so he was a bit worried for his sisters safety to say the least. "What happened?"

"Snakes.. alot of them."

"Snakes? " he asked her raising his eyebrows.

"The huge kind... not the kind you can step on. The kind that can swallow _you_ whole." _ 'I hate to think what would have happened if I had not learned that jutsu. Geez and im supposed to train this kid that knows more than me. I'll have to go back into Rai's memories again.'_

"I didn't know we had snakes that big kept here and why would there be that many for just a genin starting out?"

"Apparently there is and this isn't just any genin. This is the one that Orchimaru's has chosen."

"Oh. You mean like the others, with the sealed curse."

_'well apparently that wasnt no surprise down here.'_ "Yeah."

"Hmm, still that does sound a bit over the edge for the first training, even for a new one with a curse seal. The others didnt recieve this much this soon."

"You mean the sound four."

"Yeah. We did help train them as well, when they first arrived anyway. Don't you remember?"

_'uh oh... anouther memory question' _She thought fast. "Not much besides that they were full of themselves and had bad mouths."

"Hah! Sounds like all the newbies we get in here. I've actaully been assigned to teach some pointers to some new ones tomorrow in my specialty, tracking and ambushing."

"Sounds like fun." she said sarcastically.

"well we all cant be jutsu specialists like you. I never got how you memorized all those anyway, too many and too difficult.

She finished the last of food and made a decision. If she was going to survive here, she would have to stop pretending sooner or later. She wasnt a specialists in anything, and she was only able to do two jutus' and those were just barely passable and not much of anything else. Faith had to remember the jutsu's on her own so there would be no suspicions on herself but that was taking a long time and she needed to learn the basic in fighting as well. She needed to go out on limb and risk a little if she wanted to learn.

"Say Tadashi. you got some spare time later on?"

"Yeah. why you ask."

It was now or never... time to dive right in head first, no looking back. She would have to put a little faith into Tadashi as well, she wouldnt be able to do this on her own.

" I need some training practice but ..." how was she going to put this.. she didnt want to try anything serious just yet or let on she didnt know what she was doing...

"Dont worry, I wont get to rough with you just recovering from the previous mission, just a warm up, yeah? "

She nodded. "yeah." Hmm.. it seemed he wasnt a total idiot..he was a nice guy.

"You will be back to your sharp self soon enough."

She gave him a small smile. It made her heart sink though, knowing she wasn't the same person that he cared for. She was only pretending.

-----------------------

Somewhere underground in Orchimarus hidden village of sound, Sasuke sat in his room and thought about what happened that morning.

The snakes. The uncertainty. He would never tell anyone at that moment it made him feel vunerable all over again. He would never let on that it made him feel sick being here, every single moment. At least his friends would be safe right? At least they wouldnt have to worry about Orchimaru coming there again while he was here, right?

It was the reason he left, so it had to be.

"It wont happen again. I wont let it." he said has he clenched his fist closed making a promise to himself.


	8. Chapter 8

Yay! Anouther chapter.. is anyone still reading it?! hahah Prolly not...but if anyone is there will be much more Sasuke next chapter. Its been going kinda slow i know, sorry.

xoxo to anyone who reads this far!

Chapter 8

------------------

In the underground training area, Faith and Tadashi stood face to face just yards apart ready to spar...well Faith wasn't to sure she was excatly ready now that she was actually here.

_'Paintball..it's like playing paintball right? It's a competitive sport._ she repeated in her head as beads of sweat started to accumlate before they even moved.

_'Just like paintball, out in the open... but this is underground. Just like paintball, avoid being hit ... but this time its flying pointy objects. I can do that, I've never been hit before.' _She tried reassuring heself with thoughts of things she was familiar with. _'Just like paintball, beat your opponents.' _

"Okay Rai-san, basic taijutsu only for now." called out Tadashi from just a yard away.

She nodded to her opponent, her heart beating faster_.'Taijutsu. No chakra required for that, just like paintball ne. O who am I kidding... Im so screwed.' _she sighed to herself.

"Start!" shouted Tadashi.

Tadashi was the first to make the move. He leapt forward with speed she had never seen before startling her and unkowningly kicking in both innate abilities of the primative and supernatural kind. The moment Tadashi stepped forward with the intent to battle combined with Faiths uncertainty and adrenaline pounding in her, two of the most basic insticts kicked in, the first one being fight or flight. Flight was the most obvious choice in Faiths mind as she jumed back and away from Tadashi automatically. The other instinct was her pyschic ability handed down from generation to generation in her family, though it often varied in its abilities.

She was very well aware of the movements he was going to execute before he did and therefore able to move out of the way in time. She called this her self preservation mode, the one psychic skill she used most and often times it exposed itself on its own, like now, when she was in a dangerous situation or when she was extremely stressed out..also like now.

He kept coming forward and she kept backing away, avoiding his attempts to deliever a blow. With kicks and punches, he kept advancing and she kept dodging, barely avoiding them all. He was fast and after every failed hit anouther would follow making her concentrate on where his movements would be coming from next and not paying attention to much else. After his vain attempt to strike her, he made a sweeping kick in the air and she leapt backwards and nearly into the wall. Cornered.

Adrenaline and those natural insticts took over again, fight or flight, and this time there was no room to flee.

She suddenly found herself moving her hands forward to block his attack, and just in time. She was a bit stunned she actaully parried his blow, but this was no time to stand there in awe at what she had done for anouther blow was coming straight for her. Tadashi was being very persistant and was aiming for a well placed jab to the shoulder.

This time she was a bit more aggressive with the force she applied when deflecting his blow and she stood her ground but he wasn't giving in. Again with a flying spin kick he aimed to make his mark, but she knew what was coming and caught his foot in midair and swung him around to land sliding in the dirt in a low crouch a few feet away.

From the dirt Tadashi remarked, "It seems to me your skills have not deminished at all. I havn't been able to land a hit at all." It wasnt really a surprise to Tadashi, Rai had alwasy been better in most everything. She took training much more seriously than he had anyway.

"Let's see how long you can keep it up." he replied with a grin as they started over again much to Faith's dismay.. although swining Tadashi around like that had lifted her self confidence slightly and she had to admit to herself that it looked pretty damn cool too.

In the hours of training with Tadashi, Faith discovered her new body hardly grew tired from effort, in her old body she would have most likely been tired the first 15 minutes.. pathetic really, excercise like this was not a part of her daily routine, but it was evidently a part of Rai's everyday, and more. She would have to work on those hand-to-hand combat skills though because she will sorely lacking in any offensive moves and randomly jabbing at the air was very unshinobi like. She did find it rather hard to get a punch or kick in at Tadashi, he seemed to know how to look at her movements to avoid being hit while she just relied on her abiltiy, but at least she gained some knowledge however small it was from this session.

"Whew" excalimed Tadashi after thier ongoing battle to get the upper hand of each other.. which ended in a stalemate. "I'm wiped out as usual. I don't have nearly as much stamina as you Rai. Even as kids you had so much energy running around, I think thats why dad finally broke down to teach us some shinobi skills. I think he was hoping to tire you out." he said laughing. "Though I think it backfired on him when you woke him up everyday before down to train after that."

Faith had to laugh a little too at that. There were other things she wanted to know about his past, about Rai's past. Things she knew Rai should know, but she couldn't let herself be found out so she just played along. She played a part that wasnt hers to play and she felt guilty, but pretend she would because she wanted to live.

"It was good training again with you Rai, since we dont' have that much free time at the same moment as each other. I think I prefer training with my students though, since I can still beat most of them." he said laughing. "And speaking of students, what do you have planned to do tomorrow with your new temporary student?"

"I dont know just yet." she said truthfully.

"Well what do you know about him?"

"Very little really." she said grasping just how much she really did not know of him. "Though he has some techniques that I wouldn't want to meet in a battlefield." she said cringing.

"If Orchimaru wants him then he must have some unique qualities for sure."

"Yes, he wouldnt want to transfer into a body that was anything less than what he has been... a powerful sannin."

"Hmm.. you have a point there." Then he said in a hushed tone, "Do you think this kid has enough potetnial to maybe..well?"

"kill a sannin?" she finished the sentence for him in a whispered voice as well. She knew what sannin he was referring too, but just in case the walls had ears his name wasn't mentioned.

"Yeah." he nodded.

"Not yet, but.. he probably will." she told him. The last thing she remembered about this universe, about these characters that were know real flesh and blood, was the battle between Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto, with the nine-tailed demon in him, had vast chakra and energy was bound to become powerful while Sasuke being his rival, seemingly gone to the dark side, was bound to have just as much power as he. They were the main characters after all.

The unasked question that Faith knew was dancing around in Tadashi's head was could he kill Orchimaru, or rather would he. And that was a very good question indeed.

"He is to become Orchimaru's next host right.?" he asked, which really he was asking in undertones 'Do you think he will let Orchimaru have his body and soul?'

"That's to be seen." replied Faith which translated into, 'unlikely, if the kid can resist later when the time comes that is.'

_'It's kinda odd sitting here and talking seriously about the possiability of Sasuke offing Orchimaru, but wasn't that what the fandom on the forum was saying might happen when he left to gain power from Orchimaru.' _thought Faith to herself. _'hmm..'_

"Well if you think this is the one, maybe you ought to teach him some of those special techniques." he said with an emphasis on special. "The more he knows the more oppurtinities he has. If you think he is worthy of those techniques that is."

Such truth he spoke. Faith wish she knew more, like what the hell these kind of special techniques he was talking about. "Yeah, I'll look into that." was all she could think to say.

Faith couldnt believe she just had a conversation with hidden meanings towards Orchimaru's wishful demise. It was a very surreal feeling in a now very real world. There was still so much to think about, but she had little time to ponder on such things. Just trying to fit in here as quickly as possiable was very straining on her nerves and health, both mental and physical.

She yawned a bit and realized they must have spent a good part of the evening training until well past dinner time, and of course lack of sleep previous nights wasnt a big help either.

Tadashi took her cue, "It is rather late, and we both have duties to attend to in the morning. Goodnight Rai." he said has he left.

"Night" she replied waving bye as he left.

_'That training wasn't so bad. Tadashi must have taken it easy on me since what happened. And I train Sasuke tomorrow..fangirls from all over would kill me for this oppurtunity.. or would they if they had to wake up in a different body and be poked with needles by Kabuto..hmm yeah prolly, they are some crazy peoples. Just what am i going to do tomorrow that won't make me look like I dont know what I am doing._ _'I'm too tired to think anymore, I'll think tomorrow...maybe.' _

Right before she reached her one room hole in the wall that she now called home to get some sleep, she was stopped by anouther shinobi who handed her a packet.

"This is information on Uchiha collected by Kabuto so that you may plan is training accordingly." said the unknown shinobi.

Faith nodded and accpected the envelope, which she opened as the other shinobi left. Sure enough there were pages and pages on his abilities and numbers she knew not what they meant, it was all a big jumble of encrypted nonsense in which she couln't make heads or tells about. In other words, it wasn't going to help her any.

Looking at it all reminded her that tomorrow would hold anouther day of uncertainity, anouther day stuck in a place she didn't belong,..anouther day. She put it on her table in her small room and left it there and let out a big sigh. She didn't want to think about tomorrow and what it may bring. She didnt want to think about where she was. Sleep however, with its welcoming black unconsciencness, was what she needed as she slipped into the bed and fell asleep ... but wasn't destined to stay that way for long.


	9. Chapter 9

Thanks Soankast!

Chapter 9

----------------------------------

Faith woke early with a heavy sweat only hours after she had finally fallen asleep from a disturbance in the night. At first she thought it was just the dream, which was a recollection of everything that had been happening lately into one warped and twisted nightmare. Snakes, needles, zombies, more snakes and a disturbing white haired guy invaded her dreams, but it wasn't the images that startled her awake. The nightmarish visions she could take, it was just a dream after all, but it was the terrorizing feeling that accompanied the dream that made her heart pound so in her sleep.

Feelings of hopelessness, despair, anger, fear, sadness, and agony all crashed down upon her as she slept and it was those feelings that wieghed heavily down upon her and awoke her with apprehension. The air was so thick with negative emptiness it made one's chest hurt and she wasn't sure if it was her own feelings surfacing in her state of dreaming or if it was the surroundings.

It was likely abit of both, she decieded. This whole place screamed with whispers of death, torture and suffering. Anyone with a good grip on thier surroundings would feel it, like a tingling sensation running down thier spine. Those trained or those naturally gifted to seek out the undertones of thier evnironement would be able to feel the corruptness seep out of the walls all around them. It made her shiver as if she was cold even though she was wrapped warmly in blankets.

Faith sat up on the edge of the small musty bed trying not to let those feeling overwhelm her, take control and bury her.

'"I fell ill. I can barely breathe. It's has if the whole damn place is trying to suffocate me." she said out loud.

She sat for several moments pushing back the smothering sensation and then looked for the watch to see how long she had actually slept.

"Ugh. Only two hours of sleep. This place sucks. I can't sleep anymore after that, but it's such a long way until morning and in the morning I have to train a certain someone. I have no idea what to do with him!" she thought frantically as she realized she indeed did not have anything planned.

She forced herself to push away the suffacating influences and instead focus on her task that awaited in the morning.

"Make him run laps? Pushups? Ugh. That's not the kind of training these people are expecting me to give him. Come on think!", she commanded herself "I need to think of something before morning actually gets here." she mentally berated herself has her mind kept coming up with blanks.

"I guess this leaves only one option, but I know its going ot leave me with a killer headache later. I just hope this time I can figure out more in Rai's memories." she said as she got ready to mentally leap into the memories and experieances of Rai.

"Maybe I can dig up something actually friggen useful. Like some techniques. Some of those techniques Tadashi was talkin about would be great. Maybe..if I'm lucky." she said has she closed her eyes and prepared herself to search in Rai's mind.

---------------------------- Morning -----------------

"Knock kncok." Someone was pounding at the door as Faith was furiously writting things into a scroll before she forgot what it was she had discovered. It really wasn't much, but it was a start.

"Rai! You awake?" came anouther knock at the door

"Yeah! I'm awake. One moment." she called back as she finished writting.

She opend the door to find Tadashi standing there all decked out for a trip.

"I'm glad I caught you before you left this morning", he said. "I have been assigned a mission and I'll be away for a week or two."

"Oh. Ok" she replied with a frown as the news hit her gut with a sinking feeling, after all he was the only person she was comfortable with and mission are dangerous. She really didn't like the thought of him leaving, but there was nothing she could do. Missions happen.

"Whats that all over the table?", he asked spying all the scrolls scattered on the table top and spilling onto the floor.

"Uhmm.. work. About the Uchiha kid." she replied.

"Oh. Paper work already? That sucks for you then. And don't you have training this morning. They sure didn't give you much rest before putting you back to work, eh."

She nodded in silent agreement.

"Did you decide what training to do then?"

"Hmm yeah." she hesitated telling him remembering the last time.

"Well?"

"Eh heh. Meditation." she told him rubbing the back of her head waiting for his reaction.

"What! Your shitting me arnt you." he said throwing his head back to laugh "Hahaha. Well what ever works." he said sobering up noticing her unpleasant frown at him laughing.

"No, I am not joking. And it is not regular meditation." she told him.

"Meditation is meditation. You sit and you sit and nothing happens. Its lots of fun. Im sure this kid will love it." he said sarcastically

"Meditation is so much more than that, you only think of it has a waste of time because you have never really tried. You have the attention span of a carp."

"Gasp! That is so mean of you!" he said pouting though it went ignored.

"Besides I think he is going to need something like this." she said sighing.

"Why you say that?"

"Well, I just have a feeling. When I thought about it last night and after seeing him personally yesterday, I think it could help him focus. And you know boys do not have an affinity for sitting and thinking things over." she said matter of factly. '_After all the things he seen and been through, he is going to need some sort of therapy especially since I dont think he has ever really spoken of it to any one and that can be a burden unto itself. And I actually know a little bit about meditation..through personal experiance.' _she thought to herself knowingly.

"Try not to overdo it, k. Meditating can be very strenous." he snickered again

She gave him a hard look letting him know his snickering was not appreciated.

"Well," he said turning back to his serious side, "I better get going. See ya when i get back."

_'No, he might not come back at all. The only stable being in this crappy place and he gets sent on a mission.'_

"Be careful" she told him _.'Crap. I feel like a 3 year old that's lost his secruty blanket..'_

He turned to smile. "As always." he waved and keep on walking.

_'Well this is a crappy way to start the morning', _she thought foully as she returned to her papers spread at the table. "Now I feel even more alone in this shit hole where I dont belong... and I have work to do!" she groaned as she turned back to her papers.

Written out in each scroll where a few instructions for hand signs for different jutsu's and details on how they were used in Rai's memories including how to perform them. Also, there were a couple of scrolls with notes on specific events, stories, and people she had seen in Rai's past that she was able to see while searching for things to use in training.

One of those events was reading one of her fathers scrolls on the different types of techniques used for improving the body and soul of the ninja, or in other words meditation. Meditation was key to a healthy mind and soul together, balanced.

All monks knew this and so did ninjas but they failed to incorprate it seriously into thier training for various reason, the main one being the time it took, the skill needed and the other reason was because most thought it was useless since you couldnt see immediate results. It was medically proven that these techniques were indeed useful in various ways, but took a long time to achieve, depending on the person of course.

It was these scrolls that Faith would base her training on with Sasuke today. Most importantly, thought Faith, it involved no fighting. Just sitting and mediatating. It seemed safe enough. Although with a little help from some herbs, it would speed things along a little way.

She grabbed a handfull of scrolls and went out the door moments after Tadashi towards the supply room then the training grounds.. the one without snakes.

--------Training ground------------------

When Faith got to the training ground Sasuke was already there waiting. She wondered how long he had been there and if he had gotten as little sleep as she had.

"Morning" she greeted.

"Hn" was his short reply. He didnt want to converse with small talk, he wanted what he came here for.

Faith was ready for this, well as ready as she could ever be at the moment.

She thoguht about what she knew of Sasuke. First thing that came to mind was he is not a conversastionalist, so dont expect him to suddenly start talking to you and spilling all his problems and such to you...and try not to ask question becuase there was likely not to be an answer. Second he is here for power. Third was when they trained yesterday she had felt this odd sensation when that huge snake came at him, and it wasn't a good vibe.

"Well, Sasuke let's begin." she said as she sat on the ground with a puzzled Sasuke looking on. She pointed to the ground in front of her and motioned for him to sit as well.

"I've given alot of thought about which direction to head with your training." she told him as he sat sounding as like a teacher as she could.

"I am only here to train you for the time being while Orchimaru and Kabuto are busy with recent problems. Afterwards you will recieve training from him. To prepare for this we will use a certain method of meditation, if you can accomplish this it will help you a great deal."

"How will meditation help with gaining power?" he asked not liking that it was not the type of training he was expecting.

_'oh he asked me a question! I feel special'_ she thought to herself. "This is not the type of meditation normally done for relaxation purposes and such, though it is simliar. This type is to reach a heightened level with yourself and later boost your chakra by confronting things are blocking the flow." _Now its my turn to ask a question._ "What are the two things that make chakra?"

Sasuke interested in this converstation remembered it was his pink haired team mate that excitedly pointed out where chakra come from.

"Body and spiritual energy gained from experiances."

"Yea. You mold those two together to form chakra. Most shinobi have alot of body enery gained from training, missions and what not. That is where most of the energy for chakra comes from. Few get to that same high level spiritually for many different reasons. Some just never bother becasue its not required for thier training or to advance through the levels. Other times thier spiritual energy is restricted by past actions they have done or by things they have seen, like war and death. These people have too much conflicting emotions within themselves to master the spiritual side of thier chakra. You, Sasuke, are one of those people."

He was listening she noticed, but he was frowning deeply. "You are saying my spiritual energy is blocked by some past actions?"

"Well, not necassarily your actions, but the actions of those around you and how you react to them, so yes you have unconsciously blocked your path to move forward spiritually."

"And if this block is removed it would make me more powerful."

"Yes. I could sense yesterday, when you were fighting the snake, that something was inhibiting your actions. I could also tell that your current actions, emotions and what you want to do are conflicting . These conflictions cause insecurity and destablize your chakra power and other abilities. "

Sasukes eyebrows knotted together following what she was explaining. "I don't have any conlfictions, I know what it is I want already." he said apparently try to avoid where this was going.

"True, you may know what you want but there are problems that are present rather you notice them or not. In your mind, in your heart or in your soul there lays something that your either suppressing or batteling. I can see these disturbances in you, let's just say its a gift I have, and they need to be dealt with before they become any bigger."

"How do you resolve something that you aren't even aware of?" he asked but not believing there was something in him that he wasnt aware of.

"Well,..." 'D_ang this is hard to expalin' _she said to herself"..to tell you the truth some people never do, but through meditation you can explore within yourself and deal with it accordingly, hopefully. That is what this whole session will be for."

"Hn" he said indicating he was following the conversation. "Meditation." he said as if he were trying out the word for the first time.

"Since this is an advanced form of meditation with special herbs I only want you to foucs on clearing your mind for the first time. Don't think about anything, not the past, present or future. Clear your mind of all thoughts, just like regualr meditation, and focus on your breathing. That is the most important thing to learn during the first session." she instructed him like the scrolls has told.

"When that is done we can then move on to the past and present, focusing on your chakra and then future if you are willing to try this that is?" she asked

"Hm" he nodded .

"Ok, to get things starte you will drink this. It will put you in an induced meditative state of mind, niether conscious or unconscious, for an hour or two. Just spend that time relaxed and easy." she said. _'wow I really cant believe he agreed to this.' _

"Now remember, this is an advanced form of meditation and I only want you to focus on clearing your mind. Say on that one path, keep your mind free of all thought."

--------

'_What she is saying makes sense.. in an odd way, though I've never heard of any of these methods before.' _he thought to himself as she explained the way this would work.

_'But will this really make someone more powerful?' _he asked himself doubtful, but he was willing to give anything a try, untill Orchimaru could give him what he needed he would try what was given to him in the meantime.

So he took the cup, and he drank it all in one tilt of his head and soon found himself lifted up, or so it felt, as he drifted off into an altereted state of conscienceness he had doubts this would give him what he needed. It sounded to corny.

-----

Faith watched him slip off into the other realm in his mind. "I wonder if I should have told him this drink was also once tested to treat people with multiple personilty disorders? Eh, o well."

---

Finding yourself in a deep darkness, surrounded by nothing felt oddly serene, or maybe that was only because he was in a place that he didnt want to be and this pitch black was an escape. He didnt really know but serenity was not going to help him accomplish his goal.

"Mmm, this is pointless." he said after a while.

"What a waste of time." he said after what seemed like an eternity.

"I dont have time like this to waste while that bastard is still out there." he growled to himself. "This is useless. I need to be doing something to help me now! I can't do anything in here. This is a wast of my time and I have none to spare." he seethed in contempt straying of the path of keeping his mind clear.

"He is still out there. The person I hate. I hate him!" he screamed into the emptyness, rage and confusion taking over.

"I used to love you so much, brother. Why?" he asked the darkness, but it did not reply.

"Why is it you killed them, and left me?" he asked again.

"I used to think I wanted to be just like you...but now ..."

"But now what, little brother." came a strange familiar voice resonatating from the depths of the darkness and Sasuke held his breath.

"You wanted to be just like me. Admit to yourself that you still want to be just like me." came the familiar voice, closer with each word spoken.

"You want power, and you will do anything to get it. Anything." the voice said becoming clearer and clearer as a very familair shape of a man materializing came out of the blackness.

Sasuke was dumbfounded for a minute. No one else was supposed to be here, only him, so what was _he _doing here.

"Isn't that right Sasuke. You are walking down the same path as me little brother." he said with a smirk shielded behind the darkness.

"Don't compare me to you, you bastard! I am nothing like you!" he shouted at him.

He could hear poisonous laughter coming form the hidden face in the shadows. "You betrayed your village, just like me Sasuke. And those most close to you.

"Just like me." the man repeated in soft whisper that seemed to fill the entire room.

"You slaughtered our whole family just for power. That is something I would never do!" he screamed back at his brother with years of hatred pented up and anger simmering just beneath the surface

"Don't act like that Sasuke. You know you thought aboout it. Killling those around you, your most precious people, just to test your power. To gain more power, I was there when you could have killed that boy. Admit it, you wanted to do it." the voice prodded on and on. "You were just to weak to defeat him.' the man hissed at him.

"I...I.." Sasuke stumbeld for words his own emotions swaying.

"You wanted to kill him for that power didn't you Sasuke. To become powerful like me."

"..no" he said himself quitely. "No I didn't want to kill him, you bastard. I didn't want to become like you! I never want to become like you!." he shouted furiously back.

"It's a little too late for that, don't you think Sasuke?" he laughed again. "Everyone else already thinks so."

Sasuke clenched his fist, ready to slam into him but his body refused to move.

----------------------

"Hmm.. Sasuke is taking a bit longer that I thougt this would go. I'ts not supposed to take this long." she bit her lower lip and pulled out some scrolls she had written on earlier.

"Now where did that scroll go, I know I worte something down about this."

"Ah here it is." She picked up one of the scrolls that she had out in her bag.

She frowned reading what she had written down. The scroll said in her own writting "During the first session of meditation most people will only be under the effects of the drugs for an hour or two and awake themselves. Few people experience any blah blah.." she said skipping over the stuff she remembered.

" Here we go...if the pupil is still within the induced state for longer than 3 hours then it is likely they have left the path marked and have been led astray by thier own misguided spirit. In this case, the master will need to interfere to bring to pupil back into the conscious world, the pupil will likely not be ready to take on these ill harboring manifestations his unconsciousness is projecting in his first sessions."

She moaned" .. fantastic, its been over 4 hours. now what?" she continued reading.

"hmm then it says here to... wait, i got to do what! "

She read on, "The master.. that would be me.. must go into the alternative state .. that would be meditation.. ok.. then the master would use the Divine Leap Jutsu to gain entry into the pupils alternate conscious and wake him. It is advised to use cauation when entering anouther persons alternate state of mind and to not stay suspended in the pupils domain for long, extreme fatigue may occur. "

She stared at the insturctions at the jutsu she would need to "leap" from her meditative state to Sasukes.

Then she looked at Sasuke and frowned. "I should have just made you do pushups."

----------------

His anger was swelling up to massive quantity, almost to the point of losing control, when he heard a voice call out his name.

"Sasuke?" it repeated.

"What are you doing here?", he asked with an edge in his voice turning to the woman who had sent him here.

"That's supposed to be my questions." she said sounding none too pleased at his snarky attitude nor the heavy atmosphere that reminded her all to well of how she woke up that morning. "You have been in here too long. You were supposed to wake an hour ago at least."

Sasuke looked back to where Itachi was, still unable to see his face but never the less still here.

She followed Sasukes gaze. _'Hmm, so he did run into something here.'_

"You don't follow instructions very well do you." she said making it a statement rather than a question. "I told you were not supposed to think of anything and keep a clear and free mind."

"How am I supposed to do that when he is here." he seethed through clenched jaws speaking more to himself rather than her.

Faith looked at the apparition, _'It must look real to him.", _she thought but to her it was just a pale image. Then she looked back at Sasuke.

"There is no one here but you and me Sasuke. That is only a manifestation of your own creation and it has been keepping you here to long."

He stared hard at the figure trying to determine how she could tell he was not real, rather to believe her or not.

She wasn't going to wait for him to decided, both had stayed long enough and now it was time to get out. She made the handsigns for the reverse jutsu and poked him on the forehead to complete it while he wasnt paying any attention.

Sasuke was suddenly awake, and feeling extremely exhausted. _'A manifestion of my own creation?'_ he asked himself as he ran a hand through his hair. He couldnt understand why he would create that himself. Then he heard Rai come around.

"Ugh" she groaned as she fell backwards too exhausted to keep sitting up. "I thought I was tired before. That scroll wasn't kidding, it really does exhaust you." he heard her mumble to herself.

He wanted answers but his pride kept him from asking the questions that would get them.

She on the other hand had alot of questions and wanted some answers.

She asked still laying on the ground, "Today you were only supposed to get accustomed to being in the spiritual plane so you could enter and exit the mediatative state whenever, but it appears as if you had other things on your mind. The question is, what were those other things?"

"It is non of your concern." he stated rather coldly as he stood apparently to leave.

"True, it doesnt concern me but it always helps to talk about these things with someone else Sasuke. Have you ever talked to anyone Sasuke?"

"I don't need to talk about anything, to anyone. It is no one elses concern but my own." he stated again.

"I figured you would say as much.You seem to avoid confronting these things yourself as much as you avoid other people." she cided him.

Sasuke's left over anger from before was starting to spike again, she was pissing him off and wouldnt stop talking.

"And your anger that you try to bottle up as well isnt doing you any good either." she told him picking up on his vibe. "When you are angry your judgement is clouded and everything around you becomes less clear and focused, you could literally become blind with rage, nothing else would matter."

"That's just it. Nothing else does matter." he stated without emotion.

"Really?" she asked not sounding to convinced almost like she was postive and that pissed Sasuke off even more becuase it was like she knew more about him than he did.

"Your friends dont matter? Your village doent matter? And all those people in your village? Not one single person?" she questioned him.

"No, no one else matters" he paused a moment trying to gather his thoughts, trying to persuade he was correct. "I left my village, I thought about killing someone from my village to gain more power." he said as if that proved is point.

She sat quiet for a moment, thinking. _'That idea never came into your head freely Sasuke, it was put there by someone else. Twisted by someone else's influence and inflicted upon you like it was expected. Of that I am certain, but are you?"_

She was going to go out on a limb here, risking her neck asking this, "Was it you who really thought about it?"

His black eyes flew to hers in surprise, though he masked the surprise with a glare.

"What do you mean was it really me who thought about it?" he asked her, wanting to know why she would even ask that in the first place. Afterall, only he knew who had told him what to do to gain that power.

"I dunno." she said, "If you had planned and thought about it on your own, what would change your mind unless it wasnt your plan to begin with?"

He looked away quickly. '_It wasn't my plan but never the less I still thought about doing it. I only realized to late that..'_

"grrrrooowwwwl"

He looked over to the noise that so rudely interrupted his thoughts.

"Eh heh" she exclaimed holding her stomache. "I missed breakfast and now its past lunch so..." .

"Until tomorrow then." he said dismissing himself without anouther word. This converstation was getting out of hand, he hadn't really meant to say has much as he had but it had slipped out in his anger..and thats when he realized his anger really was getting the best of him. She had been right.

"Oi Sasuke" she called out to him.

He stopped and turned his ear towards her indicating he was listenig but keeping the rest of himself turned away.

"What ever happens or what ever is said here, it will stay between us." she said.

"Hn" he said reverting back to his inaudable answers and continued on his way.

--------------

"Ugh." she exclaimed to while pulling herself up into sitting postion as she watched the young Uchiha leave through door and pulling her bag close to dig for pillls.. pain pills. Her headache had come back after taking the first one that morning in the supply room while looking for ingrediants. She had done too much in too short a time searching through memories not her own, and her head was telling her just how much she over did it.

After she has taken the 2nd pill, she stood up only to recieve a rushing wave of light headness and she quickly reached out to the wall to steady her balance as the other hand went to her head. "ok.. no more long strolls through memory lane. I promise." she told her head as the dizziness left and her stomach rumbled again. "Ok sheesh I get both of you. Food for you and then a nap." she said as she made her way back towards her room for whst would hopefully more peacful than previous nights.

Sasuke on the other hand would be spending several hours awake mulling over the fact it had been his own doing that brought forth the appearance of his brother and even more so what he had said. To tell the truth it unnerved him quite a bit

Sasuke wasn't good at confronting the truths..

Note Orchimaru and Kabuto are busy dealing with Orchimarus body transfer since Sasuke didnt get there in time, among a few other things with Orchimaru's body


End file.
